Unwavering Bond
by swirlheart
Summary: Ichigo's sister is taken for some unknown reason, but it seems to be connected to the arrival of three bizarre creatures in Karakura Town. Now Ichigo must decide if they are friends or foes and rescue his sister. Rated T mostly for battle scenes. Please read and review. Thank you!
1. Chapter 1

**Unwavering Bond**

Summary: Ichigo's sister is taken for some unknown reason, but it seems to be connected to the arrival of three bizarre creatures in Karakura Town. Now Ichigo must decide if they are friends or foes and rescue his sister.

I do not own Bleach or its characters. Bleach and its characters belong to Tite Kubo. This is just a fanfiction written for fun. No profit is being made.

The only thing I own is my imagination and the original characters that pop up in this fiction.

Please enjoy.

 **Chapter 1:**

"Big brother, did you see that? Neat, huh?"

"Yeah, it is."

"That store over there's new. We should go there sometime, don't you think?"

"I'd like that. Maybe on the way back we can make a stop."

"You think so?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Aren't you worried it might rain?"

"So what if it does? We'll be inside. We don't have to walk there. We can get a ride."

"Sounds great. I've missed you, big brother. It's been a while since we just talked and did things together, just us."

"Yeah, it has. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault."

"Do you still get bad dreams at night?"

"No, not really. Not since I got this present. I love it. Carry it with me everywhere."

"Yes, I see. You're holding it now. I'm glad you're doing ok, Yuka."

"I wish we could see each other every day like before, Nikko."

"Me, too. I miss being with you. But I'm trying to see you as often as I can."

"I know. I wish we could be together like before. But… I'm glad you're always with me when I need you most."

"You know I'd never leave you alone, Yuka."

"I know. That's why you're the best big brother ever."

"Ha ha…"

"Don't laugh. It's true. You always make sure we're together."

"I try my best."

* * *

"Ichigo!"

"Yeah?"

"We're heading out. Make sure to lock up when you leave. Dad had stuff to do."

"Got it Yuzu."

"Did you get enough to eat?"

Ichigo bent down to pick up his school bag. "You don't have to baby me. I got plenty to eat. Don't worry."

"And you got the lunch I packed you?"

"Yeah. Thanks."

Yuzu walked behind Ichigo and started picking at his school shirt.

"What are you doing?"

"You have a fuzzy on your shirt. See?" She held it up in her fingers before tossing it in the trash.

"Why not just drop it on the floor? That's what I do."

"That's one more thing for me to sweep up," Yuzu said puffing out her cheeks in annoyance. "Besides, it might get stuck on your clothes again."

"Come on, Yuzu!" Karin called from the doorway. "We're going to be late if you keep lecturing him like that."

"Coming!" Yuzu looked back at Ichigo. "We're having curry tomorrow night, but I'm making something special tonight. Don't forget."

"Got it." Ichigo walked to the front door to put on his shoes.

"And I'm not sure when Dad will be home tonight, so don't dawdle too much. Otherwise Karin and I will be eating alone at dinner."

"Uh-huh."

Karin put her hands on her hips. "I don't see why you're telling him all this. Ichigo will get back when he feels like it. You know he does stuff after school."

"But the last couple of nights he's been coming home and going right to his room. I want to make sure he's eating well so he'll be strong and healthy. He has to eat properly."

"He's a big boy, Yuzu."

"It's lonely eating by ourselves."

"Don't forget I have soccer after school, so don't panic if I'm not here right away."

Yuzu groaned. "Karin..!"

"Hey, I got to practice. Besides, we scheduled this last week. You've known about this."

"Yeah, I know."

Ichigo opened the front door. "Let's go, you two. I'm locking up."

"See?" said Karin. "He was listening to you. It wasn't just absent grunts."

"Absent grunts?" Ichigo questioned, holding the door for them.

"Yeah, you know." Karin saw the confused look on Ichigo's face and sighed. "When you make sounds like you're listening when you're not."

"I don't think that's what they're called."

"That's what I'm calling them." She gave him a smug smirk and spun around.

Ichigo sighed as he closed the door. "It's more absent-minded, really. And I was listening."

"But you don't always."

"I was this time."

"This time, he says!" Karin started laughing. "I knew it!"

Yuzu didn't share in her sister's laughter. She turned to her brother and gave him a firm look. "Just try to be back tonight, ok? I want to see you before we go to bed, ok? Ok, Ichigo?"

"Fine, fine."

"You don't have to promise me or anything. I know you have stuff to do and your friends need you for things, but don't disappear for days, alright? That's all I'm asking. Ok?"

"I said fine, Yuzu."

"He gets it," said Karin without turning around. "Stop beating it to death."

"I'm not!" Yuzu ran to catch up to her twin. "I know Ichigo works hard, so if he wants to hang out with his friends to get rid of that stress, then I want him to do it." Yuzu turned around. "Hang out with your friends if you have plans, ok, Ichigo? Have fun!"

Ichigo gave her a look. "Either you want me home for dinner or you want me to hang out with friends. Which is it?"

"Hang out with them but don't be too late, ok?" Yuzu told him. "Make sure to come back tonight. Tonight, ok?"

"I'll do what I can, Yuzu."

"Remember the special dinner I'm making!"

"Go to school!" Ichigo ran behind them, chasing them down the sidewalk playfully. He stopped chasing them when he heard them both laughing. Ichigo slowed and gave his sisters a smile. Now that he saw them in better moods, Yuzu especially, he could be on his way. He just wanted to see her smile.

When Ichigo arrived at school, he was a bit early, giving him time to socialize.

"Ichigo!" Keigo ran up behind him and Ichigo quickly put him in a headlock. Keigo kicked and pulled on his arms, begging for mercy. Ichigo let him go and Keigo rubbed his sore neck. "You've gotten stronger since yesterday, haven't you?"

"I don't think so."

"You feel it."

"Ok."

"Ok? That's all you have to say about it?"

Ichigo raised his brow. "What else do you want me to say?"

"I don't know. Something like… 'Yes, of course, I've gotten stronger! How else do you expect me to keep all these babes around me all the time? A hunk like me has to look good!' Something like that."

"Would I ever say something like that?"

Keigo was about to respond when an elbow came flying into his nose.

"Babes, huh?" said Tatsuki. "I hope you aren't talking about Orihime like that, you perv!"

"Ow! I wasn't! Not just her, I mean."

"And what is that supposed to me, huh?"

Keigo held his bloody nose. "Jeez, was that necessary? I'm bleeding."

"You should really be aware of your surroundings, Mr. Asano. I doubt you would have said such a thing if you knew she was around."

"Why? Because I'm afraid of a beating?" Keigo pinched his nose shut. "It's not stopping."

Tatsuki showed him a little compassion, never meaning to hit him that hard. "Sorry. I didn't mean to be so rough." She took a tissue from her bag and gave it to him.

"You're so brittle, Mr. Asano."

Keigo stuffed the tissue in his nose but he continued to bleed. "Aw, man… I'm going into the bathroom to see if I can stop this."

"Sorry, again."

"It's cool. As long as I don't bleed out from this."

"Try not to think about babes in that case," Ichigo decided to tease. "Don't want to make the nosebleed any worse."

"Shut up!"

The others gathered around Ichigo's desk and chatted. Uryu came in and went right over to his desk and sat down, but not before glancing in Ichigo's direction in a silent hello. Chad arrived soon after Uryu and went over to Ichigo's desk to greet everyone.

A few minutes later Keigo came back and stood by Ichigo's desk. "Hey, guys."

"How's your nose, doing?"

"Hm? Oh, it's fine. I'm good."

"What happened to his nose?" asked Orihime.

"I decked him a bit."

"Why'd you do that?"

"Misunderstanding. Don't worry about it."

Keigo chuckled. "I'm still not sure whether I deserved it or not. But sorry, and please don't hit me again, ok?"

"Fine."

Keigo looked at Ichigo. "So how are you doing?"

"Fine."

"Any plans for after school?" he asked, keeping his eyes on Ichigo. "I was sort of hoping we could all do something together. Maybe we can make plans at lunch if you need time to think it over."

"That sounds like fun," said Orihime. "We could go to the mall and just hang out there."

"I guess we could do that." Ichigo gave it some thought. "Yuzu said I could hang out with friends but she wants me back before it gets too late."

"Yuzu does, huh?" said Keigo. "Why's that?"

"She's making dinner and she said she doesn't want it to be just the two of them tonight."

"The two of them?"

"Yeah. Her and Karin."

"Oh, I gotcha." Keigo glanced at Ichigo's bag then back at him. "I guess you've been busy with stuff, huh? Haven't had much time to spend at home. Or with us, really. I mean, when was the last time we all hung out together?"

"I guess it has been a while."

"Then I think we have a plan," said Keigo. "We can all go out and have some fun and make sure it doesn't last all night so Ichigo can get home. Sound good? We head out right after school, do our thing and wrap things up around dinner time. Sounds like a plan, right?"

"I guess that could work."

"Yeah, I'm up for it."

"Sounds great."

Everyone waited for Ichigo's answer. "Well, I guess so. I could use a breather. But not for too long. I didn't promise her, but I should still make an attempt to be home before they go to bed."

"Awesome. This will be a blast." Keigo looked at the clock on the wall. "Class is about to start. I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" asked Orihime.

"I have to use the bathroom. It's now or never, right?"

"Do I have to beat you again?" asked Tatsuki.

"Sorry, sorry." Keigo gave them a wave and ran out of the classroom.

"Shouldn't he have done that while he was in there?" Chad questioned.

"Well, it is Keigo."

The students all took their seats as class was about to begin. At the last possible second, Keigo came running in and jumped into his seat. "Made it," he panted and took the tissues out of his nose. "And the bleeding finally stopped."

Ichigo wondered why Keigo had more tissues in his nose when he had left without them. Perhaps his nosebleed started up again while he was in the bathroom. Either that or someone else slammed into him. That was very possible.

"You ok?" Orihime whispered to him just as the teacher entered the room.

"I'm good. It stopped as I was leaving the bathroom then started up again so I had to dash back in there. I'm all good now."

"Still up for hanging out after school?"

"You bet."

Ichigo faced the front of the room as the lesson began. Maybe he should go home before hanging out with his friends. No, Yuzu wanted him home for dinner. If he hung out with his friends right after school, he should make it back before dinner. She said he could socialize if he wanted to. He would just keep an eye on the time to make sure he didn't get back too late. If he showed up at home first then went out again and then went back home it would be a lot of running around.

He had all day to think about a plan. Either way, he would be home before his sisters went to bed. He would make sure of it.

* * *

Yuzu hurried around the kitchen, cooking as fast as she could. There was so much to do before dinner and she was all alone. She rushed home as quickly as possible so she would have time to do it all.

Once everything was prepared and set out on the counter, she checked to make sure the oven was hot enough. Just as she was about to put the food in, there was a knock at the door.

"Hello? Anyone home?"

"Ichigo?" Yuzu took off her oven mitts and opened the front door. "Big brother?"

Ichigo stood in front of her still wearing his school uniform. "Yeah, sorry. I forgot my key."

"Oh. Well, welcome home, Ichigo." She stepped aside to let him in.

"Thanks." Ichigo stepped inside and took off his shoes. He followed Yuzu into the house and took a look around. "Here by yourself?" he asked.

"Yeah. Karin went to play soccer with some friends. She said she would be home for dinner. I was just about to put it in the oven."

"Sounds good." Ichigo walked through the living room, apparently looking at the TV. Yuzu couldn't see his face. He stood there for a while then moved on.

"You ok, Ichigo?"

"Just restless, I guess. A lot going on at school."

"Oh."

Ichigo bent down and started looking at one of the bookshelves. He ran his fingers over several book spines until he found something that peaked his interest. He pulled it from the shelf and lay it across his lap, opening it. It was a photo album. From the collection of dust, it hadn't been opened in a while. Some of the pages were still sticking together as he flipped through.

"What are you looking at?" Yuzu asked him.

Ichigo glanced up and shrugged. "Just this old album. I almost didn't recognize it. Thought it was a book at first. I figured while I had it open…" He turned the page. "Heh, look how tiny you guys were. Still are, actually."

"I am not tiny," Yuzu said puffing out her cheeks.

"Oh, yeah?" Ichigo stood up and measured Yuzu with his hand. "You don't even come up to my shoulder."

"Quit teasing!"

"Sorry, sorry." Ichigo closed the album and put it back on the shelf. "I'll be up in my room if you need me."

He didn't come down again until dinner was called. Karin had already arrived and was still dressed in her soccer clothes. The siblings all ate dinner together. Ichigo spoke a little, as was his custom. He usually didn't lead the conversation. But he was hungry. He took two helpings of food. When Yuzu was busy cleaning up, Ichigo said he was going out for a bit, which no one questioned.

When Ichigo finally returned, it was late and his sisters were going to bed.

Yuzu stopped on the stairs and put her hands on her hips. "Where have you been?"

"Sorry, I was out with friends," he told her. "Why? Did something happen?"

"No." She sighed. "Well, welcome home, anyway." Then she smiled. "I'm glad you hung out with your friends. You really need to take a break once in a while and do something fun."

"Thanks. I'm going to bed." Ichigo went upstairs and went straight to his room.

He made it back home before his sisters went to bed, just as he promised himself. If it hadn't been for that Hollow attack down the street from the mall, he would have made it back sooner.

* * *

More to come. And there will be action real soon.

Please review! ^-^


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

The following morning, Ichigo went to school as he normally did. Students were still arriving so he knew he had plenty of time.

In fact, there seemed to be so much time, several of the students stood by the open gate and chatted. When Ichigo got closer, he realized the students were talking in hushed tones and peering across the street. After whispering and glancing over their shoulders, they quickly went inside. Whatever was across the street had them unnerved. It was important enough to make sure other students saw it too before heading in but creepy enough to drive them onto school grounds as soon as the oddity was shared.

Ichigo looked across the street and saw a young man with red hair standing on the sidewalk talking with another man. The other man was young too, and carried a doll in his arms. The doll was dressed in a flowery kimono and had short light brown hair.

Any man holding a doll in such a loving way was sure to get some stares but that wasn't the reason for the student's uneasiness. The man holding the doll wasn't human. At least, not anymore. He wasn't a ghost because he didn't have a chain but Ichigo could tell he was not a normal person. He must have been from the Soul Society.

At first, Ichigo was baffled, knowing that his schoolmates, save for a selected few, could not see people from the Soul Society. Then he realized the students weren't looking at the man with the doll but the one next to him. That one they could see.

Now he understood why they were whispering and rushed inside to get away from him. From their perspective, the man must have looked like he was talking to himself. If they couldn't see the second man, watching the first one carry on a seemingly one-sided conversation was a bit strange.

Ichigo had not seen the first man before. He must have been human if everyone could see him. He must have been able to see ghosts just as Ichigo could from the look of things. Did this man not realize the doll-holder wasn't a normal person? Either that or he didn't care.

It shouldn't have been any of his business, but Ichigo felt the need to go over there and talk to the both of them. If he didn't let the man know that the second one wasn't human, then at the very least he could tell them to take their conversation elsewhere.

"Hey."

The men looked up.

"Listen, you guys are kind of scaring some of the students at the school. Would you mind heading out or face the other way or something?"

"Why's that?" asked the red-haired man.

"Because they can't see this guy so they probably think you're nuts." Ichigo pointed an indiscreet thumb at the man with the doll.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I wasn't aware. No one told me they couldn't see him." The man blinked. "But you can."

"Yeah, I can."

"Well, it's nice to know I'm not alone." The man thrust a hand out at his chest. "It's a pleasure. You can call me Miku."

"Yeah, hi." Ichigo reluctantly shook his hand. "So do you mind?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah. Yeah, we'll clear out. No problem."

The man with the doll said nothing.

Ichigo looked at the man's face. He wore a sorrowful expression, as if he didn't want to be here or told to move from this spot. He had dark hair which fell across his pale face and sad eyes.

Just about everything about this man seemed depressing. His eyes and hair were dark and so were his clothes. Unlike a kimono like most people wore in the Soul Society, this man wore long pants and a long-sleeved shirt and boots. His pale compaction only made the darkness that surrounded him even more prominent.

With such sad features, Ichigo couldn't help but feel a twinge of pity. Pity for what, he didn't know. The man's sad eyes just made him feel sad, too. Maybe it was just empathy.

"Sorry," he said without thinking. "I just didn't think you guys wanted to be stared at. That and the students were uncomfortable."

"Well, I can't blame them for that," said Miku. "It must look like I'm talking to an invisible man, am I right?"

"Well, you're not wrong…"

Miku looked at the man with the doll. "Ready to head out, big guy?"

The man nodded but his expression remained the same.

Seeing the look Ichigo was giving them, Miku said, "Oh, don't worry. It's not you. He always looks this way. I don't think he knows how to smile."

Ichigo didn't know if he was being serious or not. In any case, he was glad to see those two leave before anyone else started pointing and staring.

When he went inside, he heard several students still talking about the man outside. Some even checked the windows to make sure he was gone. Miku was officially labeled 'the creepy guy who talks to himself' among the students and staff. A few speculated that the man was drunk or crazy. No one wanted to go near a man with mental problems. Even with him gone, the students still whispered about him. Once class began and they took their seats, no one spoke about him again.

Even during lunch, no one spoke about him, desiring new topics of conversation. However, once the school day ended, some started to talk about him again, wondering if it was safe to travel home alone. Girls left the building in groups of five or so and quickly dashed out of the gate, staying close to one another. The boys were a bit braver about leaving the school. Either that or the 'creepy guy' didn't frighten them as much as it did the girls.

Most of Ichigo's friends hadn't seen him, but some of their classmates did and were organizing travel groups.

"Tatsuki, you're pretty tough. Want to walk home with us? If that guy's still out there, you can scare him off."

"What are you so worried about?" she asked the girls. "So the guy talked to himself. Big deal."

"But he was having a conversation with no one."

"That's right. It was creepy."

"There's talking to yourself and then there's talking to yourself. What if the guy's crazy?"

"Yeah, he could have a knife."

Tatsuki rolled her eyes. "You're being ridiculous."

"Easy for you to say."

"Yeah! You're scary."

"I bet you wouldn't let Orihime walk home alone."

"But she has Ichigo and Chad to protect her. What have we got?"

"That's why we need Tatsuki."

"Fine!" Tatsuki said, throwing her arms into the air. "I'll walk you home." She knew Orihime was walking home with Ichigo anyway which meant she would be traveling alone which left her open for ridicule. The last thing she wanted was for the girls to point out that she could have walked with them since she had no prior engagements.

"See you guys later."

Orihime walked closer to Ichigo. "Was this person really all that frightening?"

"Nah." He looked over his shoulder to make sure the girls had left. "It was a guy talking to someone from the Soul Society. The other students couldn't see him so they thought he was talking to himself."

"Oh, that explains it. Then there's nothing to worry about after all."

"Were you worried?" asked Chad.

"Well, I never saw the guy so I had no idea. From the way everyone was talking…"

Ichigo slung his bag over his shoulder. "Let's head out. I'm starving."

"Ok!"

* * *

"I'm home!"

"Welcome back, Ichigo!" Yuzu came to greet him. "Check it out. I got a perfect score on my report."

"Nice." Ichigo wasn't as enthusiastic as his sister. When he praised her, it was more often than not very nonchalant. Which was expected from him. If he praised her with a huge smile on his face and made a big fuss about it, she knew something was wrong. Usually it meant he was disguising a distraught mood.

Pleased by his response, Yuzu beamed at him and put the paper away. "How was your day?"

"Same old." Ichigo went upstairs to drop off his school bag. He came back downstairs and picked up the remote. "Where's Karin?"

"She's at the store. They released a new video game she wants."

"She'll be in line for a while, then. I heard about that. They say the line's out the door, the game is so popular."

Yuzu sighed. "I bet she'll be too busy playing it to come down for dinner."

"She has to eat sometime." Ichigo changed the channel on the TV. "If the line's as long as they say it is, she might not be back until dinner away. If that's the case, then just tell her she can play after she eats. It's not like she'll be wasting any time if she comes home right as we're starting. She can't complain then."

"That's true." Yuzu frowned again. "Unless she's too excited to eat."

"Again, just tell her to wait until she eats dinner. What's one more half hour? Besides, she'll need energy to play. Tell her that."

"Ok."

There was nothing good on television so Ichigo turned it off. He got off the couch and went to get a bag of chips from the kitchen.

"Don't spoil your dinner," Yuzu lectured him.

"It's just a snack. I'm not going to eat the whole bag."

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.

"Who's that?" Yuzu asked, looking towards the front door.

"I'll get it." Ichigo put the bag of chips on the counter and went to answer the door.

He opened it and found a small group of men gathered on the front step. One of them was the man from this morning and he was still holding the doll in his arms. The other two Ichigo did not recognize.

"Hello, Ichigo," said the man closest to the door. He leaned his arm against the threshold and grinned at him. It was a smug, mischievous grin which left Ichigo feeling threatened.

The man beside him peered inside the house from where he stood. He had brown eyes and dark scraggly hair and a torn T-shirt and jeans. He looked only a few years older than Ichigo. Despite his seniority, he seemed to be taking orders from the younger man leaning against the door frame. Ichigo could tell from his submissive posture.

"May we come in?" asked the apparent leader.

How did this man know his name? Who were they? What did they want?

The only thing Ichigo knew for certain was that they were a threat.

"No." Ichigo started to close the door but the leader stuck his foot between the door and the wall, preventing him from closing it.

"Come now, don't be that way." The man pushed against the door with his left hand. "Let us in."

"No!" Ichigo pushed against the door, using all his strength. It started to slide, pushing the man's arm back. If he kept this up, he could close it. The man would have to either move his foot or have it slammed and possibly broken.

"Ichigo?" Yuzu called from inside.

The man looked in the direction of the voice.

"A human," said the man with scraggly hair.

The man with the doll let his eyes widen slightly, giving him a less miserable look. Now he looked intrigued and hopeful.

Ichigo didn't like it.

The man pushed against the door again and Ichigo's feet started to slide back. "So… you're not home alone, are you?"

"Yuzu!" Ichigo shouted. "Run!"

Rather than do as he said, Yuzu came closer. Drawn by the muffled commotion, Yuzu stepped into view to see what was going on.

As soon as they saw her, the lead man rammed the door into Ichigo and forced his way into the house. Ichigo tried to close the door on him, but he pushed in the opposite direction. While he held the door open, the other men moved in.

"Yuzu! Run!" Ichigo shouted again.

Seeing the men move towards her, she turned and ran into the house.

The man stepped aside and the door Ichigo was still pushing against swung the other way, causing the teen to fall forward. The man followed the others into the kitchen.

Ichigo got up and chased after them. He grabbed the man from behind and pulled him back. He heard Yuzu scream and shoved the man aside to get to her. "Yuzu!"

The man with scraggly hair was trying to grab her, but Ichigo prevented him from touching her. He grabbed the man's arm and roughly pulled him away. He kicked him and pushed him into the leader who stood directly behind him.

"Yuzu, get out of here. Run!"

The scraggly man tried again to grab her but Ichigo once again prevented him. He twisted the man's arm back and kicked him in the ribs. There was a loud crack and Ichigo released him. The man looked at his arm which was now pointed in an unnatural position. With a broken arm, there wasn't much more he could do in this fight. With one good arm, he wouldn't be able to restrain anyone very well.

Apparently knowing this, the man stepped back.

The side of Ichigo's face stung and staggered. The leader had punched him while he was looking at the other intruder. Ichigo punched him back. The leader grabbed the front of Ichigo's shirt with one hand and forced Ichigo's right arm down with the other. Ichigo tried to use his other arm to punch, but he couldn't get a clean shot with their arms tangled like this.

The man pushed Ichigo into the wall, knocking over a stack of books on a side table. Ichigo pushed back but the man was stronger than he anticipated. He lifted both legs at the same time and kicked the man in the stomach. He fell backwards and Ichigo landed on top of him. The man rolled and sat on Ichigo's chest. Ichigo punched him and they rolled again.

"Ichigo!" Yuzu shrieked.

"Yuzu, get out of here! Go!" He had to protect her. If she ran, she would be safe. If she stayed here, she would be in danger. She could get hit with a stray attack or grabbed while he was busy fighting his current opponent.

It was three against one. He was in his human form. Normally, it wouldn't have been a problem. He had taken on several guys at once before, but they were of average human strength. These men were stronger. The one he was fighting now had the physical strength Ichigo possessed in his Soul Reaper form. At least, that's how it felt to him. In actuality, they might have just been on equal ground but the situation made it feel a lot worse.

The man with the doll stood beside Yuzu and stared at her. Yuzu could not see him so she wasn't aware of the danger.

But Ichigo was.

"Yuzu! Run! Go! Go now!"

She didn't move. She was too concerned for her brother's safety to leave him.

"Yu-" The leader punched him and got to his feet. As he moved closer to Yuzu, Ichigo grabbed his ankle and dragged him back. The man kicked Ichigo in the face. Ichigo stood up and punching him in the jaw. The man pushed against Ichigo's shoulder and Ichigo pushed against his.

They pushed and pulled and spun each other around in a violent dance. The man moved one hand off Ichigo's shoulder and over his neck. He began to squeeze. Ichigo moved his arm under his and knocked it aside. The man kicked him in the shin. Then he punched him, drawing blood from Ichigo's nose. Ichigo hit him back and the man slammed his skull into Ichigo's face.

Worried and desperate to help, Yuzu grabbed the man's right arm and pulled it down with both hands. "Stop! Stop it!" No matter how much she pleaded, the fight continued as if she weren't there. "Leave him alone!"

"Yuzu! Get out of here! Don't!"

She didn't listen. He pulled the man's arm, jerking it away from her brother. "Stop it!" she cried.

The man looked away from Ichigo and down at Yuzu. Ichigo could feel the man lose strength in his right arm and let it get pulled down by the small girl. Then just as quickly, the man, wrapping his hand around Ichigo's left wrist, swung his arm outward and into Yuzu's face. The combination of Ichigo's wrist and the man's strong arm was like being hit with a club. Yuzu lost her grip and spun halfway around. She was thrown backwards and slammed her head on the kitchen counter as she spun. She slid onto the floor and did not move.

"Yuzu!" Ichigo fought violently to get to her. "Yuzu!"

The man with the doll bent down and looked at her.

"No! Yuzu! Yuzu!" He didn't know what this man was trying to do but he perceived him as a threat and tried to stop him. If only the one in his arms hadn't been holding him back, he would have gotten there by now. He had to stop him. He had to stop all of them.

The man he had been fighting shoved him into the wall behind him and rammed his head into it before finally letting him go.

Ichigo felt dizzy and his ears were ringing. His skull left a small dent in the wall, but he didn't care about that. He didn't even care what a hard hit like that would do to him. He just cared about getting to his sister and stopping these men.

With the room still spinning, Ichigo made a grab for the leader's back but ended up grabbing his shoulder instead. It didn't matter as long as he had a hold of him. He took a swing at the man's face and hit his jaw. The man turned and punched Ichigo so hard in the stomach, his feet left the ground.

"Uugh!"

The man hit him over the head and let Ichigo drop to the floor.

Ichigo lay on his stomach in the middle of the floor. He could hear their voices but they were muffled by the ringing in his ears. He couldn't understand a word of it. His side-ward view of their legs and floor began to blur.

"Yu…zu…"

His vision faded to black and the ringing stopped.

* * *

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	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

"Yu…zu…"

Ichigo opened his eyes. He could see the floor and the kitchen standing on its side. His body ached. This head throbbed. He got his arms under him and began to push himself up. He sat on the ground and looked around the room.

Everything was quiet, but the remnants of the fight were all around him. Everything from the fallen table and books to the open front door and his missing sister.

His sister.

"Yuzu!" he gasped. He stood up and looked around. "Yuzu!" he called but there was no answer. "Yuzu!"

He was alone. His sister was gone.

How did this happen? Why did this happen? How could he let it happen? Why didn't he do more to stop it? He was pathetic. He wasn't strong enough.

What was he going to do? How was he going to get her back? Where did they take her? Why did they take her?

Ichigo started to run out the front door. Maybe he could find them on the street and stop them. Maybe they hadn't gone far. He could still catch them.

Something moved.

He stopped. He heard a noise coming from the kitchen.

Were they still in the house? Was it Yuzu? Was she still here?

He tiptoed into the kitchen and looked on the other side of the counter. The fridge door was wide open and someone was crouched in front of it, eating with their bare hands.

It was a man with scraggly hair.

Overcome with rage, Ichigo's first impulse was to attack. This man was one of them. He was with that group. However, rather than attack him then and there, Ichigo opted to do something else.

He grabbed a chair from the table and held it over his head. He started to sneak up behind the man. He wanted to hurt him, not kill him. He could lead him to Yuzu.

The man continued to eat, reaching into the fridge with one arm and shoving food into his mouth. Empty bottles and jars lay around him on the floor. He was eating condiments and leftovers. Ketchup and mayonnaise containers lay beside half-eaten apples and fish. Ichigo could hear him munching so he must not have been able to hear Ichigo behind him. This was good news for him.

Once he was within striking distance, Ichigo raised the chair high and brought it down over the man's head.

To his great surprise, the chair shattered before it could reach him.

Ichigo staggered back, his eyes wide with shock. The chair hadn't shattered, it was sliced. Protruding from the man's spine were blades. They sliced the chair to pieces before it could do any damage.

The blades shrank back into the man's skin. As soon as they were hidden, the man turned around. His brown eyes eyed Ichigo up and down as he chewed a piece of celery.

"A human."

Ichigo remained perfectly still.

This man was human, wasn't he? But those blades… That was something no ordinary human could do. Yet, Yuzu was able to see him. She couldn't see ghosts like her two siblings, so this man must have been human. No, he couldn't have been. Not with those blades sticking out of his spine.

If he wasn't human or ghost, then what was he?

After analyzing Ichigo, the man busied himself with the fridge again.

Snapped out of his shock, Ichigo stood tall and demanded answers. "What are you? Why are you here? Where is my sister?"

The man kept eating.

"Where is my sister?" he shouted. He tried to hit the man, but another blade came out of his back and waved about in the air.

Now Ichigo was able to see it more clearly. The blades were attached to long flexible tentacles allowing the man to move them wherever he pleased. Attacking him from a different angle wouldn't work.

"Where is my sister?"

The man stopped eating and stood up. He turned his body to face him, bringing his broken arm into view.

"Your sister?" the man said calmly. "You wish to locate your sibling?"

"Yes. Where is she?" he said firmly.

The man blinked. "It is not as if I owe you anything." He looked down at his broken arm. "This arm is useless to me now. It will not heal as fast as I would like it to. I thought eating would speed up the healing process but I do not see any change, good or bad."

"Those people in your gang. Where are they? Where did they take my sister? Why did they take my sister?"

The man looked at him again. "I do not know. They left me behind because I would only slow them down with this injury. I told them I would find them once I am healed. I am of no use to them like this."

"Where is she?" he asked again.

The man did not answer which infuriated Ichigo.

"Where is my sister?" he shouted. "Tell me!"

"She must be with them. I watched them take her."

"Then where are they?"

"I do not know. I will find them eventually." The man looked him over again. "You are the one they call Ichigo Kurosaki, correct? I was under the impression you were a Soul Reaper. What I see before me is a human."

"How do you know my name?"

"Miku told me."

"Miku?" Ichigo remembered the young man outside his school. The one talking to the man with the doll.

"He said people at the school called you by that name."

Miku must have overheard Ichigo's friends calling him by name. Was he involved with these men somehow? Was the man with the doll interested in him for some reason? Had he asked Miku to find out his name? Had Miku simply told them because they had asked? Maybe he wasn't involved at all. He wasn't with them during the attack. He must have only given them the name in passing and didn't think much of it.

Asking Miku would have been no different from them asking a student. Apparently, he wasn't involved. Not knowingly, at least.

"Why did they take my sister?"

"I do not know. Not the whole story."

"Then tell me what you do know."

The man stood there. "I…"

He stopped and looked towards the door.

"Ichigo!" Uryu came running into the house. "Ichigo, where are you? Are you alright?"

"Uryu."

Uryu spotted him and came over. "I saw the front door open. It looked like a fight went on so I rushed…" Uryu looked at the man standing in front of the fridge. "Who is this?"

The man looked Uryu up and down. "Another human."

Ichigo gave the man a harsh look. "He was with a group of people who took my sister. He won't tell me where they've taken her or why. I'm trying to get it out of him."

"Then we need him alive." Uryu stood beside Ichigo and glared at the man. "You better start answering our questions. Tell us where you've taken Ichigo's sister."

"I do not know." The man looked down at his broken arm. "I see no point in this. You are repeating the same questions over and over again and it offers me no benefit. This conversation will not heal my arm so there is no point in contributing."

The man started to leave the room but Uryu stopped him. "Answer our questions."

"Move aside."

"Answer us."

Ichigo saw the blades slither out of the man's back. He was readying an attack.

"Uryu, this guy isn't human. Watch out."

Uryu saw a glint and summoned his bow. If this man wasn't human, there was no reason to hold back.

Upon seeing the glowing bow, the man stopped. "Not human. You are not a human."

"Give us answers and I won't shoot your head off." Uryu pulled his weapon tight, but he was bluffing. He hoped intimidating the enemy would be enough to get answers.

The man did not look frightened at all. He looked indifferent. His expression never changed but his words expressed joy.

"What good fortune. I think I shall try." The blades swung around in the air, but he wasn't trying to cut him. It was to give him enough space to move about. He pushed his way past Uryu and out the door.

"After him!"

Uryu and Ichigo gave chase, but the man hadn't gone far. He was barely out of the front yard when they caught up to him. The man wasn't very fast.

Uryu fired a warning shot but the man did not stop. He deflected the second arrow Uryu shot and disappeared into an alley. Ichigo and Uryu stood at the opening, knowing it was a dead-end. This man had nowhere to go.

"Just give us answers!"

The man turned around at the end of the alley and faced them calmly.

"Answer us and we won't hurt you."

The man suddenly dropped to the ground as if pushed by an invisible hand.

"What?" Ichigo and Uryu exchanged looks. They cautiously approached the man on the ground. He wasn't moving.

"What do you think..?"

"Think it's an act?"

"Not sure." Ichigo gave the man a kick. "I know he's alive, but…"

"Ahh!" Uryu threw both hands over the back of his neck and screamed.

"Uryu?"

Uryu backed into the wall, clawing at his neck. "Ichigo! Help! There's something… Ahh!"

"Uryu! Hang on, I…"

Before Ichigo could do anything, Uryu's arms dropped to his side and immediately calmed down.

"Are you ok?"

Uryu looked down at his arm and made a fist. "This one is not broken."

Ichigo knew something was wrong. That was Uryu's voice, but the way he spoke was all wrong. He sounded like the scraggly man.

"I can return now."

Ichigo grabbed him as he started to leave. "Uryu, talk to me. What happened?"

A blade slithered out of his back and swung at Ichigo. He jumped back to avoid being cut, but came back just as quickly. He knew what had happened.

"Get out of him!"

Uryu kept the same calm expression. "Why? This host is optimal. It is not broken and it surpasses that of a human. I am of more use than I was before."

"Uryu? Can you hear me in there?"

"Why are you shouting?"

"Uryu!" Ichigo grabbed both shoulders and shook him. "Uryu!"

"Are you-"

Uryu suddenly disappeared from sight. Ichigo fell backwards, thrown off by yet another surprise. A box stood where Uryu had been a moment ago. The box rattled and shook. Someone was inside.

"Whew! That was close." Kisuke stepped around the side of the box and waved at Ichigo with his fan. "You ok?"

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"I followed the screams." Kisuke leaned against the box with his shoulder. "To be honest, I was just on my way to speak with you when I noticed you and Uryu running this way. I knew something was up, so I followed. I saw the blade and took action. Uryu would never use a blade."

"Something happened to him. We were fighting this guy and suddenly-"

Kisuke held up his hand. "Not here. Back at my place. I'll take a look and see if we can help him."

* * *

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	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

Kisuke restrained Uryu before they took him out of the reinforced box he sealed him in back in the alley. Once restrained, Kisuke looked him over. No matter how much he tried, the blades could not cut through the restraints. Seeing that it was hopeless, Uryu stopped struggling and sat quietly.

Kisuke took a long look at the back of Uryu's neck, poking it with his finger. "What in the world?" Kisuke took a closer look and his eyes widened. "Oh, boy."

"What? What?" Ichigo asked from his seat. "Can you help him?"

"Yes and no." Kisuke sat back. "I know what this is."

"What?"

Kisuke became very serious. "This is a failed Soul Candy. I remember it from back when I worked in the 12th Division. It was an experiment that never came to fruition."

"An experiment?"

"The idea was to come up with a Soul Candy that could be placed on the body rather than inserted. Instead of swallowing the Soul Candy, it would be placed on the skin of a Gigai. The intention was for the Gigai to be able to defend itself and possibly defend others while the Soul Reaper is busy fighting. This way, if the Soul Reaper is facing multiple enemies, they'll have some backup. Especially, if help cannot get there in time."

"So they wanted to create an artificial soldier?"

Kisuke nodded. "Basically. You see, a regular Soul Candy cannot change physically. It can do whatever the Gigai can do, which isn't much. These things, however, can change physically. That's what the blades are. They are a part of the new Soul Candy, which is why they are placed on the body, rather than inside them."

"Sounds like a neat idea."

"Yeah. They thought this would be great for intense battles as well. Use them as expendable soldiers so there's no great loss if they get killed. They were never real to begin with. So goes the idea anyway."

"That seems pretty heartless, don't you think?"

"Yeah," Kisuke said with a sigh. "But that's not why the experiment was terminated. There were too many issues. Not just resources, but the fact that they cannot survive without a host. Just like with Soul Candy, they cannot move unless they are fixed to something. But then, they become bound to the laws of their host body."

"What's that mean?"

"It means that if their host is human, then they are also human. They must eat and sleep and do whatever humans do in order to survive. If they don't, then both parties would die. And in addition to the blades they can sprout from their bodies, they are capable of doing anything the host body can do. In Uryu's case, now the Soul Candy is capable of using Uryu's Quincy powers. Same thing goes for Soul Reapers."

"Wait, they can attach themselves to Soul Reapers? It's not limited to Gigais or human bodies?"

"No, because they are not inserted. This was one of the issues. If this thing were to attach itself to your body, they could still be in your body and not leave it unlike with normal Soul Candy. This thing would then be able to take control of you. This was a major flaw. It meant Soul Reapers could not leave their Gigais and this thing would then be in control of their bodies."

"I see. That is a problem."

"Even worse, the researchers discovered that these Soul Candies were self-aware. They could learn and develop. They wished to discover things for themselves and understand what they were and the world around them. The department and Head Captain felt this was too dangerous. Especially when the Soul Candies did not want to come along willingly. They attacked, wanting to be free and learn. They did not like being experiments that had to answer to someone else. They had wills of their own and fought back. Containing them was a big issue. Shortly afterward, the Head Captain ordered their disposal. They were all supposed to be destroyed years ago."

And yet, one was sitting among them at this very moment.

"What about Uryu? Can't we just take the thing off him?"

Kisuke shook his head. "This was a major flaw in the design and experimental phase." Kisuke pointed to the back of Uryu's neck. "In order to take control of the body, the Soul Candy needs to burrow beneath the skin and fuse with the spinal column. As you can see here, the Soul Candy has wrapped itself around the base of Uryu's skull and into his spine. This allows it to operate the body. It's doing what the brain normally does."

"So we can't remove it?"

"Not by force. At least, not without killing him," said Kisuke. "If we were to try, we would be ripping the Soul Candy from Uryu's spine, which would then cause massive trauma. We would be separating the part of the body responsible for keeping him alive and mobile. Forcibly extracting the Soul Candy from his spine would cause Uryu's brain to shut down and his organs to fail. The brain would stop sending messages to the body to breathe and everything else. Removing it by force is far too dangerous. We discovered that during the experiment."

Apparently, as long as the creature was attached to Uryu, it was doing what his brain normally did to function properly. It seemed like an equal trade. The body provided the creature with mobility and in exchange kept the host body alive. Of course, if the host were to die, then so would the creature so in a way the failed Soul Candy was actually looking out for itself and didn't really care about the host.

Ichigo gave Uryu a sad look. "So… He's stuck like this? We can't get Uryu back?"

"We can if the Soul Candy is willing to relocate to a new body."

"Are you?" Ichigo asked Uryu.

He did not answer.

Kisuke sat beside Uryu and looked him in the eye. "I'm curious. Why haven't you been destroyed like all the others? It's not like you look like regular Soul Candy. Soul Candies are round and look like tiny gumballs. As I recall, you were a gummy version so we could easily stick you on a body and have you operate it with ease. Clear difference. Why are you here? How did you get here?"

Uryu replied calmly, "I do not know."

"What's the first thing you recall?"

Uryu thought. "I woke up and saw two men. They said I would be with them to gather data. They told me to enjoy my freedom. I took it."

"Who were these men? Describe them."

"One was a man holding a doll."

"So they were the same guys who were at my house," Ichigo said through his teeth.

"Correct."

Kisuke looked at Ichigo. "Your house?"

"They took Yuzu!" Ichigo point a finger at Uryu in anger. "And this bastard still won't tell me where she is!"

"I should inform you that you are using that term incorrectly," said Uryu. "Unless your intention was to use it as a form of insult…"

"Shut up!"

"Where did you get the body?" asked Kisuke.

"What the hell does that matter?" asked Ichigo.

"Soul Candies are created in a laboratory located in the Soul Society. I'm curious how these people got their hands on them in the first place. Especially if they're human."

Ichigo wanted to complain but he realized Kisuke had a point. A good point. The man with the doll was not human but the others were. The man with the doll did not look like a Soul Reaper, but he was the only logical choice when it came to finding a suitable suspect. Since he lived in the Soul Society, he was the only one with access to Soul Candy. But if he wasn't a Soul Reaper, then how did he get it?

How could anyone get it if they were all destroyed?

If that man didn't do it, then what about the other? He was human, so he couldn't have gotten it. Could he? The other man was human, too, but he was the Soul Candy.

"Wait a minute…" Ichigo looked at Uryu. "That wasn't your body, was it? The one you were in before?"

"It was operational. I was using it, but I do not claim ownership of it."

"In other words, it wasn't your body."

"Correct."

"Then who was that guy?"

Uryu told him, "I do not know. I found him when my other body was no longer useful."

"So you took control of an innocent man without him knowing?"

"Do you have remorse for harming an innocent man, or are you just upset that the arm you broke wasn't my own?"

Ichigo didn't know how to respond. He was actually taking the creature's words to heart, grasping that he might have ended up killing an innocent man by mistake. If he hadn't seen Uryu become the creature's next host…

"You had other bodies, you said?" Kisuke turned to Uryu. "Tell me. What were they?"

"Two humans and a corpse." Uryu looked down at his body. "Before this one. Including this body, I have been in a total of four."

"And what did you discover?" Kisuke decided to talk to the Soul Candy like a fellow researcher in hopes of getting more information. He seemed more willing to talk when he was spoken to in this manner.

"The human bodies require food and sleep in order to operate to their fullest. A corpse does not require food and loss of blood is not an issue, making it a suitable host. However, the body stiffens after a while. The joints and muscles tense up, making the body impossible to manage. Unable to move, I relocated to a living human. A corpse will slow and eventually become immobile, making it less than ideal. A human body moves well and does not decompose, but it requires so much care. Loss of blood and too little food and rest cause the body to weaken and may eventually die. I have concluded that between living and dead, there is no ideal host body. They both have flaws and restrictions."

"I see. So while you are in a corpse, you are not harmed because the host is already dead, but in a living host, if that one is killed, then you would die with it." Kisuke nodded up and down. "Interesting. We never got to that during the testing phase."

"What about my sister? Are any of these questions going to tell me why they took her and where?"

"I told you already I do not know."

Kisuke nodded his head. "I have an idea." He leaned closer to Uryu. "The body you're in right now belongs to a friend. I understand that you need a host in order to survive, but you can't keep him. Now, I will provide you with a brand-new body that will not slow you down or require you to eat or sleep unless you wish to partake."

"I see no purpose in consuming food unless it provides sustenance. Otherwise, it is a needless act."

"Alright. Well, I can give you this body under the condition that you lead us to your friends."

"Friends?" Uryu gave Kisuke a puzzled look.

"The ones who snatched Ichigo's sister."

"Oh." Uryu thought a moment. "I suppose that would be alright. However, you do realize that I would be surrendering two things in order to obtain one. The body and the location of the female. In exchange, I would only be receiving a new and different body."

"And we won't kill you. Two things."

Uryu nodded. "Deal."

Kisuke stood up. "Wonderful. Just sit tight and I'll have that body out for you in just a little bit."

Uryu looked down at his body. "Sit tight? These restraints are tight. Is that not the point?"

Ichigo frowned. "You don't know what expressions are, do you?"

Uryu glanced at him. "I am new to many things. I was only granted freedom a two days ago."

"Two days ago?"

"This will be the third day. Two full days have passed."

"You've only been alive for two days?"

Uryu paused. "Alive? I do not understand. I was created a long time ago, but I was unable to differentiate between days and weeks during that time. I was aware of my existence but I was unable to do anything. I had no sense of time or space. No sense of smell or sight or hearing. Not until recently when I was given a body. Then I could see for the first time and move as I wished. When you say 'alive' what do you mean? Are you referring to the moment of my creation or the moment I became mobile?"

"Uh…"

For an enemy, this creature didn't seem very evil. He wasn't. If he just became able to see the world for the first time a few days ago, then he hadn't experienced all that much. He was still discovering things. He probably didn't have a good understanding of how things worked. He might not have known he and those men he was traveling with had done anything wrong.

Which raised another question.

"What's your name?"

Uryu looked at him. "Name?"

"Yeah, your name," Ichigo pressed. "What do they call you?"

Uryu blinked. "I do not have a name."

"You don't?"

"When someone wishes to address me, they look at me. If someone wishes to get my attention, they either touch me or give a sharp noise to alert me."

"Really? Doesn't that bother you?"

"I do not understand the importance of names. Other than to tell one member of the same species apart from another. Like this man you call 'Kisuke'. You call him by that title to tell him apart from other humans, yes? That is the purpose, correct?"

"Sure?"

"I am the only one of my kind that I am aware of, so I do not need a name. I am referred to as 'the failed Soul Candy' and I am fine with that."

"Yeah, but that's a mouthful," said Ichigo. "You should still have a name."

"A mouthful? Full of what?"

"Never mind."

Kisuke came back and placed something on the ground in front of Uryu. "Ta-da!" It was a Gigai, but it didn't look like anyone Ichigo knew. "It was blank before, but I quickly added a few things here and there to make it personalized. It was meant to look like me, so it's roughly my height, but I hadn't added any details, so you can make it your own."

Uryu looked at the body.

"Act now, and I'll throw in some old clothes for free," he said with a smile. He sounded like an advertisement.

Uryu did not look impressed.

"Come on," Kisuke whined. "You need clothing. Can't have you running around in an unclothed Gigai. That will cause a stir."

Uryu still didn't respond.

"Not even a smile? Or a pity laugh?"

Uryu looked at him. "I do not know how to laugh."

Kisuke's cheery tone diminished. "Oh. Hmm." He bent down in front of Uryu. "Have you ever tried?"

"I do not see the point."

"Mm." Kisuke nodded. "Ok. I'm going to let you go. When I do, jump into this new body. It's all yours, ok? You get this new body and we get our friend back. Agreed?"

"Those were our terms."

"Ok, then." Kisuke stepped behind Uryu. "The body should be close enough for you to get to without doing any damage. Is that right?"

Uryu looked at the body on the floor. "It is a proper distance."

"Ok. I'm letting you go. Ready?" Before he undid the locks behind Uryu's back, Kisuke gave Ichigo a look. He wasn't asking if the creature was ready to relocate. He was making sure Ichigo was prepared to fight if something went wrong.

Ichigo nodded, understanding the message.

Kisuke undid the locks and Uryu bent forward. A gelatinous ooze slithered over to the new body and attached itself to the back of the neck.

As soon as it was off Uryu, he sat up gasping and holding the back of his neck. "Ow!" he cried out painfully. He hunched over, whimpering. Kisuke checked the back of his neck and saw thin lines of blood from where the creature attached itself under the skin. Ichigo could only imagine the pain Uryu felt having something removed from not only his skin but from his bones.

The body on the floor began to rise. The arms twitched and the eyes opened. The body sat up and tested its arms and legs, moving them slowly. The creature's new body was tall and thin with dark brown hair and eyes. He had freckles on his cheeks and pale skin.

"How's it suit you?" Kisuke asked.

The creature turned its new head to look at him. "It is operational," he said calmly.

"Please contain your enthusiasm," said Kisuke, grinning.

"I do not understand."

"It was sarcasm."

The creature tilted its head. "I do not know what that is."

"We'll explain later." Kisuke tossed the creature some clothes. "Put those on."

As the creature got its new body dressed, Ichigo became more bothered by it not having a name. They had to address him someway and what they had been doing up to this point wasn't cutting it. It was getting annoying calling the creature by what it was designed to be. It needed a name.

"How about we call you Ken?" Ichigo blurted out. "Since you don't have a name, we might as well call you something."

"Why Ken?" asked Kisuke.

"Because it means 'sharpen' and 'study'. I thought it would fit someone like him."

"Hmm." Kisuke put a hand to his chin, considering the name. "It's a little short. How about Kenichi? Not only because you inspired the name but because he might be the only one of his kind left."

"He is not going to be named after me!"

"Then Kenji," said Uryu to end the discussion. "That way it means 'two' so Ichigo won't have to worry. Now can someone please tell me what's going on and who this guy is?"

"Kenji it is."

Kisuke quickly told Uryu everything he missed while the newly named Kenji was controlling his body. Uryu didn't remember what happened after the sharp pain in his spine so it was apparent that no one was aware of anything Kenji did while he was operating the body. All that was left behind after Kenji fled was mild amnesia and a crippling pain in the neck.

"To be clear, you do not know why those people took Ichigo's sister or where they are?" Kisuke asked Kenji.

"That is correct. I will find them."

"And after you do, what did you have planned?"

"I do not know. I agreed to meet them once I was fully recovered and then it would be decided."

"I see. So either you guys did not plan that far ahead or they didn't bother to tell you." Kisuke paced in small circles. "Hmm… If they hadn't planned that far in advance, then we might stand a chance. They might just be impulsive. If they didn't have a plan in mind, then they probably won't have an escape plan should something go wrong. Like an attack. They probably thought they would get away since Ichigo was the only witness. But he got knocked out, so they probably didn't think he would be after them so soon."

"Or they didn't care," added Uryu. "I don't think they're being impulsive. They were well organized enough to find Ichigo's home and attack when the least amount of people would be there. They clearly had a plan, or were just lucky."

"That's what concerns me," said Kisuke. "I think it's more likely for them to be well organized. If that's the case, then approaching them without a plan will be dangerous. They might have taken into account being pursued. So they'll either have a plan of escape or they want to be hunted down. Ichigo's sister might be bait."

"Bait for who?" Uryu asked. "It's Ichigo's sister. If they knew he would come after her…" He shook his head. "It doesn't make any sense. If Ichigo was the prime target all along, why not take him then and there? Why waste time making him come to them in order to get her back?"

"Unless he was never the target. Maybe they wanted someone else to come instead."

"But who? His father or other sister? If that's the case, then why not take Ichigo? Any member of the family would have been just as good, right? Why did it have to be her?"

Kisuke looked at Ichigo. "Which one was it? Yuzu or Karin?"

"Yuzu. She was taken."

Kisuke thought a moment. "You're right. It doesn't make sense. Why her?"

Ichigo looked at Kenji who never said a word unless he was addressed personally. "That lead guy you were with. He wanted to come in. He didn't force his way in until after you heard Yuzu's voice. Why is that?"

There had to be a reason. Ichigo was never the target to begin with. They were after Yuzu but he still didn't know why. What did she have to offer them? What could they possibly gain from taking her?

"I simply heard a female voice and knew she was human," answered Kenji.

"There has to be more than that. Tell me."

"I gave you my answer."

Ichigo punched him across the face. "Tell me, dammit!"

A blade sprouted from Kenji's back and hovered in the air. Kisuke wedged himself between them.

"Now, now. Enough of that." He looked at Ichigo. "I know you're worried about your sister, but beating him up won't get us any answers. I believe he's telling us the truth. I think he really doesn't know what's going on and was just following orders."

"But why Yuzu? Why my sister?"

"I don't think he cares about the why. While knowing why would be nice, in the end, what matters most is getting her back, right?"

Ichigo fought to calm himself down. The only reason he stayed was because he had no idea where to start searching and he knew this creature held answers.

"Fine." He sat back down with a growl.

Kisuke was right. All that mattered was getting Yuzu back.

"So here's the plan." Kisuke addressed everyone in the group. "We're going to let Kenji go."

"What?!"

"Hear me out, Ichigo. We're going to let him go, but we'll follow him. He has to find his friends and when he does, they'll probably be with Yuzu. We help him find his friends, we find Yuzu. That's the idea. He'll lead us right to them."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" asked Uryu. "If they see him being followed, won't they run off?"

Kisuke shook his head. "Kenji is in a new body. They might not recognize him at first. Besides, they haven't met either of us yet. Only Ichigo. I say we keep Ichigo at a distance. At least until he finds his friends. He can simply duck behind a building and come out and tell his group that he obtained a new body. That way, even if they did see Ichigo close by, they'll think he was talking with a normal person and now that person has been taken over, making him harmless. See where I'm going with this?"

"Ichigo probably won't stay far enough back anyway," said Uryu. "Knowing you, you'll be right up close to the action. You won't hide."

Ichigo shot him a look.

"But I understand," Uryu went on. "If I were in your position, I would be going out of my mind with worry. I can't blame you."

Ichigo's eyes softened. Uryu actually understood just how worried he was. He was fighting to keep it in check, but he couldn't suppress it fully.

"Everybody good with the plan?" Kisuke asked.

Ichigo and Uryu nodded. Kenji sat quietly.

"Ok, Kenji. You're free to go. But we're going to be following you. Don't do anything that will draw attention to other people, ok?"

Kenji stood up. "Alright." He started to walk towards the door. He stopped and turned around. "I suppose this means you will not be attacking me either, yes?"

"Not until we find Ichigo's sister. We won't attack you if you don't attack us. Fair trade, right?"

Kenji stared at Kisuke then walked out the door.

Uryu leaned closer to Ichigo. "Do you really think this is a good idea? Can we trust him?"

"Kisuke seems to think the guy can't lie because he doesn't know how to. He doesn't even understand sarcasm."

"That doesn't mean he can't be deceptive." Uryu sighed and followed Kisuke out of the shop. "I just hope this plan works. For your sister's sake."

Ichigo nodded. "Yeah."

* * *

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	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

Following Kenji around town wasn't the hard part. The hard part was waiting for him to find his companions. He took them all over the place, from the allies between buildings to the riverbank and the bridge. There were no signs of Yuzu or the people who took her.

If Kenji couldn't find his group, then their chances of finding Yuzu were slim to none.

For Yuzu's sake, Ichigo had to help Kenji find them.

"They never gave you a meeting place?" he asked, walking closer to him.

"No."

"Are you sure they didn't ditch you?"

"What is 'ditched'?"

"As in they left you behind on purpose."

"They did leave me on purpose. I was in a weakened state. I was in agreement with their choice."

"But you said you agreed to meet up with them later, right?"

"Correct."

"Did they also agree?"

"They did."

Ichigo sighed. "Are you sure they didn't just tell you that? You meeting up with them will definitely happen?"

"Yes. They assured me." Kenji lifted one of his hands and studied it. "Now that I am useful again, they shall welcome me back. Once that happens, we can move forward."

"So there is a plan."

"One unspoken in my company," Kenji admitted. "I am uncertain what to do on my own, which is why I rely on them to tell me what to do."

Ichigo glanced at him with a frown. "Aren't you capable of making your own decisions? Why do you need them to tell you what to do? Live as you choose."

"Other than doing what is necessary to survive, I do not know what to do."

"Huh?" Ichigo raised a brow at him.

"While in a human body, I must eat in order for the body to be sustained and convert that food into energy. I require sleep in order to recover lost energy I have spent in pursuit of food and any other measures I have taken to ensure my survival. However, the human stomach can only contain so much food and consuming too much leaves you in a weakened state as well."

"A weakened state? You mean getting sick?"

"I do not know what sick is." Kenji continued. "Upon discovering this, I now know that I cannot eat continuously and once the body has recovered enough energy, sleep is an impossibility. This leaves long gaps in the sun's cycle. I do not know how to spend those hours. Therefore, I rely on the group I travel with to tell me how to fill that time."

"Those are what hobbies are for. You can do so much. Like talking or going for walks."

"I do not see the point. It seems needless to me."

"You can use that time to gather more data about people and what you are," Ichigo told him, hoping that would grab his interest.

"Hm. Interesting. I had not considered that. I gather data when it comes to me. Seeking it would be beneficial. Perhaps quicker. Certainly quicker." Kenji seemed pleased with this information. "How to go about such a thing… I gather most of my data from observation. How would I speed up the process?"

"There are things like books. Ever try reading? You can read, right?"

"Certainly. I was equipped with that capability. An acquired skill, not a learned one."

Kenji turned off the path they were walking on to go somewhere else. Ichigo was thrown off by the abrupt change and followed him. Kenji led him to the shopping district of town and began to look around. He stood where he was and stared at a group of humans assembled in front of the shops.

"Shopping," Kenji said quietly. "What is the purpose?" he asked Ichigo when he caught up to him. "I can understand the need for food but why are there shops providing things that are not food?"

"Human also need clothes," Ichigo told him. "Things for their house. Like beds and blankets."

"Blankets to help regulate body temperature for the purpose of staying alive. If it drops too low, a human could die. But why so many designs? A blanket is a blanket."

"Some people like the color blue and some don't."

"Preference?" Kenji said more to himself than to Ichigo. "I do not see the point of such things. A blanket is to serve a purpose. Looks do not matter. So long as it is functional, what does color matter?"

Ichigo wasn't sure how to answer that. Before he could come up with an answer, Kenji was asking another question.

"And these things. These toys children are so fascinated by. What is the purpose? It serves none. It has no function."

"Kids like them," Ichigo told him. "They make kids happy. It's something to play with."

"Play? What is the purpose of that? Just to pass the time? It seems so needless. They should be spending their time differently. Children seem so ignorant. If they were to set aside these toys and dedicate that time to something more prosperous, their time would be a lot better served. They would learn so much more. Playing is a waste."

Ichigo disagreed. "Playing helps kids, though. It makes them happy."

"Happiness is an emotion, not a need. It is pointless. Feelings have no purpose. They do not aid survival. So long as a person eats and sleeps enough, that is all that matters. Happiness cannot sustain life."

"People who are happy tend to live longer. Playing games can help ease stress."

"Stress is another emotion. A harmful one. Why do humans have such an emotion? What purpose does it serve? If stress can harm someone's health, why have it?" Kenji came to a conclusion. "If humans did not have emotions, their lives would be improved. No harmful feelings to get in the way and jeopardize their health. If there is no stress, then there is no need for happiness."

"What good is that?" Ichigo asked him. "Then you'd be empty inside."

"Humans need food and sleep to survive. Not emotions. They are unnecessary."

"They serve a purpose," argued Ichigo. "Without feelings, you'd just be existing. Having things like happiness make life worth living. They bring joy to your world and gives you motivation."

Kenji turned his head. "You are saying that life needs emotion? That it gives humans a reason to live otherwise there is no purpose?"

"Well, yeah."

"Interesting. Explain."

"Huh?"

"Explain your logic. How does feeling emotions such as stress and anger make life more fulfilling? Why are humans not content to simply sustain themselves with the most basic of needs?"

"Uh…" Ichigo wasn't ready for such a philosophical question. "Well…"

"Even these things I see humans using to pass the time. These games. They stand in line for hours to purchase something only to use it then forget about it. Humans seem like such fickle creatures. Would their money not be better put to use by purchasing the provisions they need such as food and warmth? Wasting money on something they will only use until it is spent then discard it, or to use it on something that will not provide them with rest or energy. These things you call 'cards' and 'video games' seem so pointless to me. Why are they so important to humans?"

"Because humans like that kind of stuff. It's entertainment."

"Entertainment?"

"Yeah. It passes the time and it makes people happy."

Kenji lowered his head in thought. "I do not understand humans. The things you find joy in. How you choose to waste your time. I find it meaningless, but you seem to find importance in it. I wish to understand why."

This creature was so foreign. Even the most basic things were confusing to it. Kenji did not understand human emotion or why humans did the things they did. Ichigo had to admit he felt a little sorry for it.

"I also wish to ask… Why do you have such a wide selection of food?" Kenji asked. "Food is food, is it not?"

"Well, depending on the type of food, it has its own benefits," Ichigo told him. "Different foods give the body vitamins to keep it healthy and energized. Things like calcium to make the bones strong and protein for strength and iron. Things to keep you alert and fit."

"I see. So different foods provide the body with essential nutrients. I understand the importance." Kenji pointed at a shop with colorful letters in the window. "I see humans going into that store frequently. What does it provide?"

"That?" Ichigo asked, pointing. "That's an ice cream store. Ice cream tastes good."

"Taste?" Kenji repeated. "What does taste have to do with it? If food offers something vital to humans, why is taste so important?"

"Because if something tastes bad, we want to spit it out and not eat it. If something tastes good, then we want to eat it because it's pleasurable."

Kenji didn't look satisfied with that answer. "But if the food provides you with what you need but it has an unpleasant taste and the human wants to spit it out, then that would be counterproductive. It does not make sense. Taste seems unnecessary to me. Flavor is not important. What is important are the benefits."

Ichigo sighed heavily. "Taste also makes life more enjoyable."

"Does life have to be enjoyable?" asked Kenji. "Life is life. Survival is important."

"Then what's the point in living if it's not enjoyable?"

Kenji blinked. He didn't have an answer for that. "Interesting notion." He looked away. "I assumed survival was important because it is a basic instinct implanted in every life-form. Plants seek to grow, but they do not have feelings. Yet, they wish to survive. Plant and human life are so different and yet they are both lives. I must study this further."

Before Kenji could wander off as before, Ichigo grabbed his shoulder. "We're getting off track. Just find your group so I can get my sister back."

"Return to the group?" Kenji turned his head. "You said I was free to make my own choices and did not need to wait upon them to instruct me. If I can acquire mental stimulation elsewhere, why would I go back?"

"Huh?"

"If I do not need them, then there is no reason for me to return."

Kenji no longer saw any reason to return to his group so he had stopped looking for them.

"I never said-"

"You told him what?!" Uryu appeared behind him. "Why would you say such a thing?"

"I didn't know he would jump to that conclusion!"

"If this guy's only two days old and doesn't have a lot of experience, what made you think he wouldn't misinterpret?" Uryu snapped.

"I-"

Kisuke arrived and ended the yelling. "Just a second." He faced Kenji. "We still had a deal. You must keep up your end of the bargain. Besides, there's still a chance you can obtain a wealth of information by being near those people. After all, we still don't know why they took Ichigo's sister. Wouldn't you like to know the answer to that?"

Kenji was naturally curious and sought information. Kisuke understood this and exploited it.

Considering how much more he could learn, Kenji agreed. "Very well. I shall continue to look for them. However, I seek to learn as much as I can. If I believe I can learn something valuable, I will see it through."

He would help them, but he wouldn't let them get in the way of his learning.

"Fine," said Kisuke.

Kenji turned and walked through the shopping area without another word.

Ichigo followed him closely while Uryu and Kisuke hung back so Kenji wasn't so crowded. Kisuke kept an eye out for anyone who was giving them unwanted attention and anyone who looked suspicious. So far, no one was following them and no one was staring. Kenji's comrades weren't here.

Kenji walked inside a bookstore and started flipping through an encyclopedia. He was apparently a fast reader, spending about two seconds on each page of tiny words. Halfway through, he put it back on the shelf and picked up a book on animals. He scanned the pages quickly and put it back on the shelf. He took one book off the shelf after another and put them back when he was finished. He moved from one section to the next then left the store.

Ichigo followed him into an electronic store and watched him look around. He spent very little time in this store and left pretty quickly. He went into a clothing store and looked around, then left. He went into a coffee shop and left because he could not stand the smell.

"Is this guy even looking for his friends?" Ichigo asked himself. "This is just a huge waste of time."

Kenji finally stopped walking and settled behind a bush fencing an outdoor cafe. He was staring at the people eating and chatting at the white plastic tables. He was observing their behavior.

Some people were laughing, some were talking quietly, some loudly, and some were reading. Some were mothers with their children, some were groups of friends and some were couples.

A man got up from one of the tables and started to leave with his dog. They passed by the bush Kenji was standing behind. The dog looked at him and growled. Kenji looked down with the same vacant expression he always wore. The dog started barking and the man tugged on its leash. The dog pulled and barked, sensing something was different about this person. It would not stop.

Kenji did not like the sound the dog was making. He saw its teeth and saliva.

"Threat."

Ichigo saw the blades slowly rise up from his spine. If he did what Ichigo thought he was going to do, then everyone in the area would panic which might prompt Kenji to attack them.

He rushed forward and put a hand on Kenji's back to hide the blades. "Sorry about him. Cute dog." Ichigo shoved Kenji away from the man and his pet. "Get over here!"

The blades slipped back into place as the man pulled his dog away and left.

"What the hell is the matter with you?" Ichigo hissed.

"The dog was a possible threat. It could do massive damage with those teeth and the noise it was making was so loud."

"If you use those blades in public, people are going to see and flip out."

Kenji looked at him calmly. "You are implying that they would call attention to me and attack finding me threatening?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Then I will cut them down in order to defend myself. If they cannot move or speak, they are no longer a threat to me."

"No killing people!" Ichigo snapped at him. "If you don't attack, then they won't think you're a threat. Besides, that dog was on a leash. It wasn't going to hurt you."

"There was a possibility."

"Don't attack people, ok? If you leave them alone, they'll leave you alone." Ichigo pushed him away from the cafe area and back onto the sidewalk. "Listen to me. You look like a normal human being. As long as you act like one, they won't think otherwise. Which means, don't use those blades on your back. Keep them hidden."

"What should I do if a human threatens me?" he asked.

"Instead of attack them, try talking to them. And if you have to attack, use your fists, not the blades, ok?"

"Hurt but not kill."

"Yes, exactly."

Kenji agreed to those terms.

Uryu slumped against the side of the building he was hiding behind and groaned. "This guy's a piece of work. I knew we shouldn't have relied on him for this."

"What choice do we have?" asked Kisuke who was pretending to read the paper. "He knows what his friends look like and they have Ichigo's sister. As irritating as he is, Kenji is our best hope of finding Yuzu."

Uryu sighed. "He might be annoying, but that wasn't the trait I was referring to. This guy is dangerous."

If he was willing to use his blades in public because a dog barked at him, it was painfully obvious that Kenji was indeed dangerous. Especially if his logic involved killing people who saw his blades, threat or not.

"Which is why Ichigo is staying so close to him. Someone has to keep an eye on this guy."

* * *

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	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:**

It took hours and still there was no sign of Yuzu or the people who took her. Kenji took them all over Karakura Town but he never spotted the people he had been traveling with. More than once Ichigo wanted to shake him and demand he find them but Kisuke held him back, reminding him that Kenji would not respond to threats. If he did not know where they were then he did not know where they were. Simple as that.

"At least he's try. Give him that," Kisuke whispered to him before keeping his distance.

Was Kenji really leading them to Yuzu or was this just a field-trip to him? Was he even trying?

If he didn't know where they were, what did it matter? He didn't know where to search so he simply wandered around, hoping their paths would cross. They would be doing the same thing no matter what.

Kenji stopped to rest. He had been walking for hours.

Ichigo didn't want him to stop. They had to find Yuzu. He gave Kenji a shove but he refused to move.

"Ichigo."

"What?" he asked, irritated.

"I was under the impression that you were a Soul Reaper. Yet I see a human before me. Your sister is also human, yes?"

"What the hell is your point?"

"I am just trying to understand." He sat down on a bench. "A human is a human. Why is one more valuable than another? You are able to see things others cannot. That makes you more valuable. And yet I do not see your worth displayed as I would have expected."

"What the hell are you talking about? What does any of this have to do with you finding those people who took Yuzu?"

Kenji looked at him. "I noticed that this Yuzu was not able to see the man with the doll. You were. To my logic, that would make you more valuable. Why then did they take the one who could not see him?"

Ichigo was at a loss for words. He didn't know and he didn't care to know. He just wanted to get her back.

"I truly do not know why they took her, but I wish to find out, same as the two you are traveling with. It is baffling to me. You seem to be more valuable. Why not take you? Why the female? I do not understand."

"When we find your friends, we'll find answers. Just find them already."

Kenji looked at him again. "There is that word again. What does it mean?"

"What word?"

"Friends. You have used that before."

Ichigo frowned. "The man with the doll and the other guy."

"You refer to them as my friends?" Kenji was not satisfied. "But that does not answer my question. What is 'friends'?"

"Friends…" Ichigo hated giving an answer on the spot like this. "Friends are people you like and spend time with and you do things together. People you like being around and do things with."

"They are not my friends," answered Kenji. "They are merely traveling companions I have been with since the beginning of my consciousness. I do not 'like' them. It has nothing to do with preference. The only benefit I had by being with them was protection and the opportunity to gather data. No more, no less. It seemed only logical that I travel with them rather than be alone in a world I knew nothing about."

"You don't care about them at all?"

"Not at all. Whether they are alive or dead means nothing to me. I would only care about their life if it had something to offer me. I only wished to return to them because they allowed me to gather data. When you informed me that I need no longer be with them in order to do that because I would collect data on my own, I saw no reason to return to them. I am only doing this on account of our agreement."

Ichigo looked Kenji in the eye. "You really care about no one but yourself? You don't care about anybody?"

"I do not see the point."

"What about companionship?" Ichigo asked him. "Don't you get joy out of being with people you like?"

"I see no need for emotions and I already explained that I do not 'like' anything." Kenji looked away. "I do not understand why humans pursue such things. Why you find it so valuable. It is so frivolous. What is the point?"

"Don't you like gathering data?" Ichigo asked him.

"Data is meaningful. The more data I collect, the more it benefits me. I will know what I need in order to survive, prolong my life, know what is harmful and what is beneficial. It serves a purpose. Things humans seem to enjoy eludes me. I do not understand why humans would desire things that do not benefit them in any way. Things such as toys or ice cream."

Ichigo sighed. This creature truly did not understand the simplest of things. Things that made perfect sense to him. What was wrong with liking something? Did it have to serve a purpose or be beneficial? Couldn't something be enjoyable simply because it was?

Ichigo stepped away and walked over to a shop while Kenji rested on the bench.

"Where the hell is he going?" Uryu whispered.

Ichigo returned with a small ice cream cone. "Here,' he said, handing it to Kenji.

Kenji looked at it. "What is this?"

"It's ice cream. Maybe you'll understand why people like this stuff if you tried it for yourself."

Kenji looked from Ichigo to the vanilla cone in his hand. "What would be the point?"

"Just gather data and eat the damn thing."

Kenji took the cone out of Ichigo's hand and stared at it. He wasn't sure how to eat it. Should he bite it or lick it? He had seen people do both. He gave the ice cream a sniff, curious. Then he reluctantly took a bit off the top. He let the ice cream sit on his tongue for a moment before chewing it twice and swallowing it.

"Well?" Ichigo prompted. "What do you think? How was it?"

"It is cold."

"That's probably why they call it ice cream."

Kenji looked at the cone in his hands. "It is cold and soft. It has a creamy texture. And it is sweet."

"A lot of people like sweet things," Ichigo told him. "Sweet and salty stuff are very popular."

"Humans enjoy such tastes. But what is the benefit?"

"Your body needs sugar. Sugar is sweet. Just don't overdo it." Ichigo wanted an answer from Kenji. "Well? Did you like it or not? What did you think of it?"

Kenji handed the ice cream back to Ichigo and stood up. "It was an experience," he told him flatly. "This is when people say 'thank you' to express gratitude, yes? Thank you."

Ichigo clenched the cone so hard in his hand it cracked and ice cream oozed down his fist and onto the sidewalk. "Rrr, this guy..!"

Could Kenji really not feel anything? Even after eating the ice cream, did he still not get it? He wouldn't even give Ichigo a proper answer. He just described how it tasted, not whether he liked it or not. Could he really not have a preference? Could he not like or dislike anything? Was he not capable?

Kenji walked away and Ichigo followed him, ice cream still dripping from his fist.

Kenji walked until he reached the riverbank then stopped.

"What now?" Ichigo asked, hoping it wasn't more nonsense.

"The man with the doll," said Kenji. He pointed with his index finger. "Over there."

"Where?" Ichigo ran to stand next to Kenji and looked to where he was pointing.

Sure enough, the man holding the doll was sitting on the riverbank, staring out at the water.

Yuzu was not with him.

Without thinking, Ichigo rushed over to demand answers. "Hey! You!"

The man looked up but did not move from where he sat.

"Where is she?" Ichigo demanded angrily. "Where the hell is Yuzu? What have you done to her? Tell me!"

The man did not answer him. He only sat there.

Where was she? What had he done with her? Why was he by the water? Had he drowned her? Was Yuzu still alive? Why wasn't she with him?

So many questions flooded Ichigo's mind, filling his skull until he could barely think at all. Fear and anger engulfed his body. Seeing the man without Yuzu was even worse than seeing him with her. At least then he knew where she was and her condition. Without her in sight, his mind was free to create thousands of horrific scenarios.

"You son of a…" Ichigo took a step forward but his body hit a human barricade. Uryu was standing in front of him, holding him back with both arms. "Get out of my way!"

"Calm down, Ichigo." Uryu dug his fingers into Ichigo's shoulders and pushed with his palms. "Calm down."

Ichigo's face flushed with anger. The man was just sitting there without a word and Uryu was holding him back. Ichigo didn't have a plan. He just wanted to get to the man. If he grabbed him, maybe Yuzu would show up. There was no logic to his thinking. He was frantic.

Uryu knew this which was why he wasn't letting Ichigo get to the man first. If he wasn't thinking, they could expect a disastrous outcome.

Keeping a hand on Ichigo's shoulder, Uryu turned around to address the man behind them. "You. You were at Ichigo's house, weren't you? You saw his sister. Where is she? We know you know."

The man stood up, doll in hand. He handled the doll with the same love and care a mother would show her child. It seemed precious to him.

The man offered no answers, but he clearly heard them. Uryu wondered, however, if the man understood their language. He never spoke and he just stood there. He didn't give any indications he knew what was being asked of him. He didn't even point or nod his head. If this man knew Yuzu's whereabouts, it would be almost impossible to get it out of him, especially if Uryu's theory was true.

"Give Yuzu back!" Ichigo shouted so loud Uryu winced. His ear was right by Ichigo's mouth. "Give her back!"

The man looked into Ichigo's eyes. His mouth started to open.

Ichigo calmed slightly, hoping to finally get answers. If this man was going to tell him, he wanted to hear it.

His mouth opened but he made no sound. He took a breath as if to prepare for a speech, but he did not exhale. His mouth remained open for a few seconds. He closed his mouth and released the held breath through his nose.

The man's grip on the doll tightened slightly. His jaw stiffened.

Whatever he was about to tell them would remain unsaid. He changed his mind.

Giving the two of them a sad look, he turned and started to walk up the breakwater and away from them and the river.

"Wait!"

Ichigo shoved Uryu aside and chased after the man.

"Stop!" Ichigo kicked up grass as he sprinted up the steep hill to the concrete sidewalk.

The man turned, saw him, and ran.

"Wait!" Ichigo sped up and chased the man across the street. Uryu pursued the both of them. As the only one bothering to watch for traffic, Uryu fell behind as a car went by, coming dangerously close to Ichigo's heel.

Ignoring the loud honking, Ichigo chased the man down the street. He was getting closer. He was faster than the man, but only just. The man looked back again, saw him, and turned down the nearest alley.

"Get back here!" Ichigo dashed into the alley as quickly as he could.

"Ichigo, wait!" Uryu yelled after him and turned into the same alley. "Think this through!"

The man was cornered. At the end of the alley was a brick wall which stretched high over their heads. He had nowhere to go.

"Tell me where Yuzu is right now!" Ichigo spat. "Tell me!"

The man turned, giving Ichigo the same sad look as before.

Why did he look so sad? Was it because he was caught? But he always wore that expression. He looked sad no matter what. The only thing that changed about the expression was the degree of sadness.

He couldn't have been sad about getting caught. Was it because of what he did to Yuzu? No, it couldn't be. He looked sad the first time Ichigo met him, long before Yuzu was ever taken. Was he sad because he knew what he was going to do?

Why did he look like this?

Ichigo's rage undermined his inquisitiveness so he wasn't as thrown off as he would have been about the man's expression. All he wanted was his sister back and to attack anyone who prevented him from doing that.

With a clenched fist, Ichigo took a step forward.

This time, it wasn't Uryu who stopped him. It was a boy.

"Hi!" A boy dropped down from above and landed in front of Ichigo. "Hey, there!"

Taken by surprise, Ichigo looked away from the man to look at the young boy. He took a step back and fumbled for words. The boy's sudden appearance threw him off worse than any sucker punch.

"What are you doing?" the boy asked him cheerily. "Were you messing with this ray of sunshine back there?" The boy jerked his thumb at the man with the doll.

This boy could see him, too.

Ichigo gave the boy a good look. He had never seen him before. The man who forced his way into Ichigo's house had brown hair and was older. This boy was round fourteen and had brown hair but it was lighter than the man's and curlier. They were even dressed different. This wasn't the same person.

"I'll admit, a guy carrying around a doll is a bit strange, isn't it?" said the boy. "I pick on him about that, too. Well, I would if I was completely heartless."

Coming back to his senses, Ichigo tried to step around the boy. "Get out of my way."

The boy blocked his path, stepping where Ichigo stepped.

"Aw, you're looking for the girl, aren't you?"

Ichigo looked down. He felt like he swallowed an ice cube.

This boy knew?

"As you can see, she's not here, so why don't you leave us alone?"

This boy was human. He could see the man. He knew about Yuzu.

The boy moved closer to Ichigo. "It hurts, doesn't it?" he whispered cruelly into his ear. "Not being able to see her and not knowing what happened to her. I can only imagine the pain."

Ichigo had never felt this kind of chill from a boy before. Not from a human. The way he spoke made Ichigo feel like he was awakening from a nightmare. The fear lingered and he was not yet aware that he was out of danger. Not yet aware it had only been a dream. For a boy to give him that kind of feeling…

"I know what will take your mind off the pain."

Something sharp entered Ichigo's stomach. He stopped breathing and put a hand to his gut. His hand felt wet. The sharp object was pulled free and a new pain took its place. A pain he had felt before.

"A new pain!" the boy said cheerily and held up the pocket knife in his hand. "What better way to get your mind off one pain than with another? See how nice I am?"

Ichigo hunched over, pressing both hands to his stomach. He never expected to be attacked with a knife. Not by a boy.

The boy jumped back as Uryu fired an arrow at him. The boy laughed and landed on a dumpster. He looked back and saw the man with the doll make his way onto the roof. The boy followed, laughing.

Uryu rushed to Ichigo's side. "Let me see it."

"I'm fine!" Ichigo insisted. "Go after them!"

"Not…" Uryu looked up and saw someone on the roof above them.

"You guy's ok?" asked Kisuke.

"Ichigo's been stabbed."

Kisuke nodded. "You take care of him. I'll go after those two." Kisuke vanished from sight.

Uryu turned his attention back to Ichigo's wound. "Why the hell are you so reckless?" he asked. "You're a human right now. If you…"

"Why didn't you shoot him?" Ichigo asked abruptly.

"Huh?"

"The boy? I saw you fire that warning shot. Why didn't you actually shoot him?"

"You wanted me to shoot a human being?"

"He was with them," Ichigo growled. "He knows about Yuzu being taken. He helped that guy escape." Ichigo hissed inwardly as Uryu examined the wound. "That boy wasn't at my house. He wasn't the third guy. The third guy must have Yuzu with him. That's why he's not here."

"Now there's a fourth?" Uryu shook his head. "Just how many people are in this group?"

"I don't know. I thought three because three showed up at my place. I never thought there'd be more."

"You don't think. That's your problem."

Ichigo glared at him. "What's that?"

"Exactly what I've been telling you." Uryu returned the glare. "I know you're upset. If I were in your position, I would be, too. But you have to calm down. Getting frantic makes you irrational. If you're irrational, whether it's in your thoughts or actions, you end up making costly mistakes. You're not thinking. If you're not thinking, you could end up putting people in danger you never intended to."

"I-"

"You're a human now, but when you lose your cool as a Soul Reaper, another part of you takes over. That part ended up stabbing me in the stomach while we were rescuing Orihime. You lost control." Uryu took a deep breath. "I'm only telling you this because I don't want it to happen again. I know you don't either. But clearly you need reminding. If you fly off the handle, you could end up getting Yuzu injured. Or your friends. And if these people know where she is, then killing them will make it impossible to track down her whereabouts. Consider that next time you go running off to satisfy your blood-lust."

Ichigo couldn't argue with him. He knew Uryu was right.

He knew he was getting irrational. He was so worried about Yuzu, he wasn't thinking of anything, not even the consequences. He needed to approach this the way he did other fights. He needed to keep calm, know what he needed to get done and then get it done.

Attacking anyone from their group wasn't going to get Yuzu back. He might not intend to kill any of them, but he was angry enough he might anyway without meaning to. If he calmed down, he would have better control over his strength and be able to see the possible outcomes of his actions.

What he needed was a plan.

The ultimate goal was getting Yuzu back. How he was going to accomplish that was still a mystery. Once he organized a plan, he would be able to reach that goal a lot quicker and easier.

"I'll probably be able to avoid getting hurt so easily once I calm down, too, right?" Ichigo looked at his blood-soaked shirt.

"Now you're listening to me."

Someone dropped beside them and took a peek at Ichigo's wound. It was Kisuke. "How is he?"

"He needs to get this wound closed," said Uryu. "I think we should bring him to Orihime. She'll be able to help him out and she isn't too far."

"Good thinking."

"You didn't catch those guys, did you?" asked Ichigo, already knowing the answer.

"No, sorry. They split up. I went after the boy first but I lost him in the crowd. I tried to find the other one but he gave me the slip, too." Kisuke looked Ichigo in the eye. "I thought you said a man came to your place. That was a boy. He wasn't there, too, was he?"

"No, I've never seen him before. I don't know who that kid is."

"Hm." Kisuke crouched down, resting his arms on both knees. "It could be nothing. Should I try to find him? If that boy wasn't at your place, I doubt he's all that important. What we need to do is find the man who was at your place. Neither of those people have your sister, so she must be with that man you've already seen. It's a safe bet."

"That's what we were thinking." Ichigo sighed heavily. The pain in his stomach stung, but it wasn't as bad as before. "Where do we even begin? Are we going to have to search this entire place?"

"We might not have to," said Kisuke. "I've been thinking… The three people who came to your house were originally thought to be two men and a ghost, right? But it turned out one of those men was an innocent human being who had his body hijacked by a Soul Candy. Which means we're actually looking for two people from the Soul Society and a human."

"Your point being?"

"Based on this, I think they might end up going to the Soul Society. Since most of them came from there, that might be where they're planning on taking your sister. If they haven't already."

Ichigo sat straight up. "You sure?"

"Don't sit up so fast," Uryu grumbled, pressing his hands again Ichigo's open wound. "More blood's coming out."

"We'll iron out the details," said Kisuke as he stood up. "Go find Orihime. Let's meet up later."

Both helped Ichigo stand. It was painful, but Ichigo had worse wounds so he didn't complain.

"I've been working on a theory," said Kisuke. "I'm not exactly sure why they took your sister, but I might have a way to stop them. At least the ones who came from the Soul Society."

"Anything's better than nothing," said Ichigo. "What have you got?"

"Me? Nothing. But with your help…"

"What the hell are you talking about, Kisuke?"

"What I need can only be found in the Soul Society. More specifically, in the 12th Division's laboratory. I don't have access to that stuff anymore. If you can get your hands on it, I might be able to help you further."

"How? What do you need from there?"

Kisuke slipped a piece of paper into Ichigo's shirt pocket. "I wrote it down. But keep it to yourself. At least for now. I'm still working things out. Just in case those guys show up again, I'd rather not say anything further. Don't want to tip them off."

Kisuke walked them onto the sidewalk and to the corner. He poked Ichigo's pocket and the piece of paper crinkled against his chest. Ichigo nodded his head.

"We'll iron out the details later."

"I'll do what I can." Ichigo nodded a second time. "Thanks, Kisuke."

"No problem. Now get that wound taken care of."

* * *

Just how many people are in this group?

Please review! ^-^


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

They made their way to Orihime's apartment and she immediately healed him. Together, they filled her in on what had been happening up to this point. She volunteered to help find Yuzu as well, but there were many more concerns they had to deal with.

"We don't know how many of them there are," said Uryu. "We just found another one in the alley. The one that stabbed Ichigo. He was young. We have to find the man who was in Ichigo's house. He probably has Yuzu."

"Kisuke thinks he might take Yuzu to the Soul Society since most of them came from there in the first place. At least the ones who showed up at my place."

"Is he just basing that off the fact that two of the three were not human?" asked Uryu. "I'm not sure how he knows that."

"It is Kisuke," said Orihime. "He knows lots of things. We always come to him for information and he hasn't let us down yet."

"Yeah, you're right." Uryu looked at the floor in thought. "Well, if they got their hands on a Soul Candy which could only be found in the Soul Society, I guess that proves they've been there at least once. That man, too. But what about the human? How did he end up getting there?"

"One thing at a time," Ichigo told him."

"I know your sister's the prime concern here, but these are things we should know. If we have a better understanding of how they operate and what their abilities are, they'll be easier to fight and we'll have an idea of what they're capable of. Not to mention we'll have a better understanding of what they may be planning. Why they took her."

"The human must be able to get there somehow. The man with the doll might be able to take him to and from, or even the Soul Candy, Kenji."

Orihime finished healing Ichigo and looked up. "Where is he anyway? You said he helped you find one of the guys. Where is he now?"

Ichigo and Uryu looked at each other.

"Crap!" Ichigo slapped his forehead. "We left him behind. He was just standing there by the river."

"I told you not to run off!"

"You didn't have to chase me."

"It was a good thing I did."

"Whatever!" Ichigo didn't want to argue right now. "Do you think he's still back there?"

"I doubt it," Uryu said with a sigh. "The guy said that he was only hanging out with those people because he didn't realize he could do things on his own. Now that he's aware of that, he doesn't want anything to do with them. I bet he wandered off."

"Where would he go?" Orihime asked.

"The guy's after information. Said he wants to gather as much data as he can. But that doesn't really narrow it down." Ichigo stood up. "Populated areas are a good place to start. Let's go."

Orihime stood up, too. "You're going after him? Is it because he might know where to find those people who took Yuzu?"

"No, he said he hasn't a clue about that."

"But we can't let him wander around," Uryu added. "The guy's clearly dangerous. His solution to any sort of confrontation is to slice it with his knives. He's also ignorant of human customs and regulations. That's a bad combination."

"The guy nearly chopped a dog in half because it barked at him," said Ichigo. "I was there to stop him, but what if it happens again while I'm not around? What if he wanders into traffic and someone honks their horn at him? Is he going to slice and dice a car?"

"He might, which is why we have to find him."

They spread out to search for him. They each took a different path and agreed to meet up in one hour. If any of them found him, they were to try to lure him away from people and get him to follow them to the meeting place.

The hour passed and no one could find him. They tried looking as a group to any place they had not been yet and then return to the populated areas they had already searched.

"Is that him?" Orihime asked.

"No, that's not him."

"Hm… You said brown hair and eyes, right? About Kisuke's height?"

"Yeah, that's right. The Gigai was supposed to be his so it would be his height."

"Is that him?"

"No, it's not."

Ichigo didn't realize how many people lived in Karakura Town until he had to look at all the different faces to locate the one they were looking for. What if they didn't find him? What kind of trouble was Kenji getting himself into? They had to stop him before he attacked anyone.

"There." Uryu pointed at a man crouching behind a bush to watch a line of ants march to their anthill.

"Who?" Orihime looked straight ahead. "That guy?"

"Yeah, didn't you think he was acting weird by doing that? We said to keep an eye out for anyone acting strange."

"He's acting strange?" Orihime looked at the man watching ants. "I didn't notice."

Uryu's shoulders slumped. Apparently, he and Orihime differed on what they considered weird.

"Kenji." Ichigo stepped behind him.

He looked up. "You have not located your sister, I assume. She is not with you, so that is a safe assumption."

"What are you doing here?"

"Our agreement was that I help you locate members of my former companions. I have done that. Once you located the man with the doll, my obligation was fulfilled and I was free to do as I wished. You chased after the man, so I left. It seemed I was no longer needed."

"So you've been wandering around town this entire time by yourself?"

"I had much data to collect. I would not achieve that goal if I remained in one place."

Ichigo groaned. "You can't go wandering off like that. You don't know how things work here."

"Which is way my collecting of data is so vital. I seek to learn as much as I can so that I may function properly. Information is essential to my survival."

Ichigo looked at Kenji's back. "You didn't use those blades on anything, did you? Or anyone?"

"They have not left my back since our last encounter."

"Good."

Orihime stepped forward. "You should really come with us. The streets get dangerous at night and you're all alone." She was trying to convince him to come by exploiting his fear, but the others weren't sure if Kenji could feel fear. So far, he seemed very robot-like.

Kenji noticed the new addition to the group and eyed her up and down. "A human." He looked away before speaking again. "I am fairing fine on my own. I do not think coming with you is essential."

"But at night…"

"If I am threatened, I will attack to defend myself. Your concern is unneeded."

"It's because of that kind of answer that we are so concerned," said Ichigo. "You can't just kill people like that."

"Actually, I can and you are aware of how easy it is. I assume you are saying that based on morals and not capabilities." Kenji glanced at him again. "Why should I not kill someone who threatens me? It would ensure my safety."

"Because the people you end up attacking might not have been a serious threat to you. It might have been a misunderstanding. There are other ways of dealing with it. You can attack, but not kill."

"But by killing, they will not get up again. It is a permanent solution."

"Which might not be a good thing if the person turned out to be innocent," Ichigo argued. "Like I said, it might be a misunderstanding. What you consider to be a threat, might not be a threat at all. To you, anyone telling you not to do something could be considered a threat. Someone shoving you by accident while going down the street. Even a dog on a leash. Those things are not threats by normal standards but you might deem them to be. You could end up killing someone who wasn't a threat at all is my point."

"That is not my concern," said Kenji flatly. "I care about my own life. Why should I concern myself with a life that is not my own? If I kill an innocent person because I mistook them as a threat does not concern me."

"It will if people find out you did that and come after you thinking you're a threat."

"They would be correct. I am a threat to them. That is accurate." Kenji looked at the anthill. "But if they should choose to attack me, I shall have no choice but to defend myself. Even if their actions are justified, I still do not wish to die."

"But you can avoid all that by not attacking anyone at all. If you don't attack, then no one attacks," Ichigo told him. "See how that works?"

Kenji took a moment to considered this. "Your logic is sound. If no one makes the first move, then the situation will not escalate."

"Good." Ichigo extended a hand towards him. "Then come with us where we can ensure no one threatens you."

Kenji looked at his hand. "What is this?" he asked, gesturing to the hand with his eyes.

"I'm offering you to take my hand."

"Why?"

"So I can pull you to your feet."

Kenji looked at the hand and then at Ichigo. "It is unneeded. I can stand on my own."

"It's called a helpful gesture."

Kenji looked at the hand again. "A helpful gesture, you say? What is the purpose?"

Ichigo frowned. Kenji really didn't understand the most basic of things. Then again, he was only two days old. He might have spoken using big words like an adult human, but he failed to grasp many things including concepts and emotions.

He was about to answer Kenji's question when someone called his name.

Ichigo straightened up and saw Rukia and Renji hurrying over to the group.

"What are you guys doing here?" Ichigo was happy to see them but he was confused as well. Then again, they did show up unannounced a lot so he shouldn't have been that surprised to see them.

"Kisuke sent us a message and we got here as quickly as we could," said Rukia. "We heard about your sister. I'm so sorry. We'll help you get her back."

"But that's not all we heard," said Renji. "We didn't just come here for her. The main reason we came here was to retrieve a rouge Soul Candy that ended up here in the World of the Living."

Ichigo felt something brush against him. Kenji stood up and was looking at Rukia and Renji.

"This him?" Renji asked.

Kenji murmured, "Soul Reapers. Two."

"Thanks for rounding him up," said Renji. "We'll take it from here."

"Threat."

The blades shot out of Kenji's back and began to attack Renji. He barely got the sword out in time to block.

"Damn!" Renji adjusted his stance to slash back. "I wasn't expecting that."

Another blade came out of Kenji's back and slashed at Renji's legs.

"Well, it was either going to be the easy way or the fun way. I'm glad it's the fun way. Roar, Zabimaru!" Renji used his flexible blade to strike back.

Four blades blocked the Zanpakuto while a fifth slashed at Renji's arms. Rukia blocked the blade and a sixth one appeared from Kenji's spine. The sickle danced in the air to distract her while a seventh went for her legs. She barely made it out of the way in time. The four blades pushed Renji's aside and all seven attacked at once. They raised their sword to block, but they couldn't dodge all the blades. One grazed Renji's leg and another hacked halfway through Rukia's left arm.

"Stop! Wait!" Ichigo threw himself between Kenji and the Soul Reapers. "Hang on a second!"

Knowing there was still a threat in the area, Kenji did not stop just because Ichigo was in his way. He chose to go through Ichigo to get to the people behind him.

One blade cut into Ichigo's right arm and another went through Ichigo's shoulder and the third one cut into Ichigo's side.

Why did he think Kenji would stop just because he was in the way? Kenji said more than once that the only life he cared about was his own. Ichigo was just an obstacle he had to cut through to get at his prize.

Despite the tremendous pain, Ichigo remained standing and grabbed the tentacles operating the blades. They felt like thick rubber bands. He could feel them stretching against his palms. Grabbing them wasn't enough to stop them. They continued to stretch toward the injured Soul Reapers.

The blades hit a wall of light and were knocked back.

Kenji looked at Orihime who had put up that barrier.

Ichigo didn't wait for Kenji to speak. He grabbed Kenji by the front of his shirt and held him. Kenji looked away from Orihime to stare at him calmly. He still wasn't showing any emotion. Even in the heat of battle.

"Kenji, stop. You don't have to attack."

"They are threats."

"Let me handle this. I can get them to stop without attacking." The blood loss from the deep wounds was making him dizzy. He had to get Kenji to listen. If he didn't succeed, he would risk passing out and waking to find out his friends had been killed. "Please."

Kenji didn't take his eyes off Ichigo the entire time.

Ichigo felt the blades return to their wielder and opened his palm to let them sink back into Kenji's spine.

"Alright." Kenji stepped back. He was curious to see another way of handling the situation.

Ichigo fell backwards into a pool of his own blood. His human body had lost so much already. He turned and saw Renji and Rukia holding their wounds, surrounded by pools of their own blood. Kenji had nearly severed Rukia's entire arm. Renji's hakama hung in tatters, his legs covered in blood. Both had been cut multiple times.

Kenji was more dangerous than they thought. Not only could he control multiple blades that could twist in any direction he chose, he knew exactly where to aim them. He knew to go for the arms and legs in order to cripple his enemies so they could not fight back or get away.

He had nearly killed Renji and Rukia and didn't think twice about it. He was even willing to go through Ichigo who wasn't threatening him in order to finish them off.

Orihime spread her healing light over all three of them and started to mend their wounds as quickly as she could.

"Guys," Ichigo said, still feeling woozy. "You ok?"

"We will be."

Ichigo started to feel the strength return to him and sat up to look at them. "Guys, don't attack Kenji again."

"Who?" asked Renji.

"The Soul Candy thing. We named him Kenji since he doesn't have a name of his own."

"You named it?"

Ichigo ignored the aggravation in Renji's voice. "Don't attack him again."

"He attacked us."

"Because he thought you were threats. He's harmless if you don't do anything to him."

"We're supposed to comply to that thing? Cater to him? Are you nuts?"

"Listen to me," Ichigo said firmly. "You can see how strong this guy is. He also doesn't understand a lot of things. He's still learning. His first instinct is to kill anything that might be considered a threat."

"Ichigo," said Rukia. Her arm was slowly reattaching to her flesh. Soon, she would be completely healed. "Kenji thinks we're a threat because to him we are."

"Because of the swords."

"No," she told him. "Because we told him that he was coming with us and he knows what that means. We're taking him back to the Soul Society to be destroyed like the others."

"That's why we came here so quickly," said Renji. "You see how dangerous he is. We can't have him wandering around loose. Especially around humans. We have to take him back with us."

Ichigo glanced over his shoulder at Kenji who was watching them with the same calm expression. He knew Kenji heard every word of their conversation. The only reason he wasn't attacking was because Ichigo told him not to while he tried a different tactic.

This meant Kenji could be reasoned with. He wasn't attacking because Ichigo told him not to. This gave him hope.

"Kenji doesn't have to be dangerous. You see how he's not attacking now? It's because I told him not to."

"But he also tried to cut through you in order to get to us," Rukia pointed out.

"That might be true, but hear me out."

"This should be good," Renji grumbled and folded his arms.

"If you take Kenji to be destroyed…" Ichigo realized something. "I'll lose my chance of seeing Yuzu again."

This was enough to make them look at him in surprise. "What are you talking about?"

"Kenji knows those people who kidnapped Yuzu. He helped us track one of them down, but we lost him. If Kenji is with us, we can find them again."

"We can search for these people, too, you know."

"But we have a bargaining chip." Ichigo hadn't thought of it until now. "We can trade him. Kenji for Yuzu. If we get rid of him now, what's stopping them from hurting Yuzu? As long as we have him, Yuzu has a chance. He can help us in a number of ways, don't you see?"

Rukia and Renji exchanged looks.

"Please." Ichigo was getting desperate. He tried to keep a level head, but he was still worried about his sister. Every second that ticked by was a second closer to her demise, as far as he was concerned. He had to find her, and he was willing to do anything. Anything to see her again.

If that meant keeping someone as dangerous as Kenji around, then so be it.

"Please. This could be her only chance." Ichigo bowed his head, realizing what he just said. It made the situation even more real. It made him feel sick. Without Kenji, he might lose Yuzu forever. "Please. I have to find her."

Her arm now healed, Rukia used it to push herself up and return her sword to its sheath.

"He'll be heavily monitored," she told him. "But we won't kill him. Not until everything is settled."

Ichigo was so relieved. "Thanks, Rukia."

"He's still coming back with us, but we won't kill him."

"That's fine," said Ichigo. "According to Kisuke, he said the people who took Yuzu will probably go to the Soul Society. You can bring us with you. That way, we'll all be together. Kenji will be there, you guys will be there…"

"Yup," said Renji with a grin. "We're all going to help you get your sister back. No worries there. So you can stop groveling now."

Ichigo stood up. "I'm not groveling!"

"Coulda fooled me-" Renji was punched by Rukia, ending his statement before he could get to the name-calling. When he looked down, she gave her head a slow shake, a look of warning in her eyes.

She knew Ichigo was desperate to find his sister. Teasing him now was the wrong thing to do. She would have done it herself if she hadn't noticed to look in his eyes.

Ichigo was in turmoil right now. He was trying to suppress it as best he could, but she knew.

Finished healing them, Orihime's hairpins returned to normal and she looked from one person to the next. "What now? Are we all going to the Soul Society?"

"Looks like it. There's not a moment to waste."

"We should let Kisuke know so he can keep an eye on things here just in case Yuzu turns up."

"Good thinking, Orihime. He should know what's going on."

Ichigo looked down at his human form. "I have to leave my body with him anyway. Let's make it quick."

He started to walk in the direction of the shop when he noticed Kenji was still standing behind him. He nearly walked into him. He looked at Kenji without a word.

"Impressive," said Kenji. "I did not think you would succeed."

Ichigo frowned. "Gee, thanks."

"I did not think these Soul Reapers would be so compliant."

"They're my friends. I figured I could get through to them a lot better than I could if some random Soul Reaper showed up."

Kenji looked behind Ichigo, studying them. "Friends are more compliant than others? Is it because they are so gullible?"

"What? No."

"Then why would friends do things others would not?"

"It's called trust," Ichigo told him. "Friends trust each other. They want to help each other."

Kenji looked from the Soul Reapers back to Ichigo. "I see."

"Yeah?" Ichigo prompted, suspecting that Kenji wanted to say more.

"I have no friends," he said simply and stepped aside.

Ichigo sighed. "Whatever."

* * *

The group went to Kisuke's shop and told him the plan. He thought it made sense and wished them luck. He also agreed to keep Ichigo's body safe until he returned.

Ichigo left his body on the floor and took the slip of paper from his shirt pocket and tucked it into his kimono. Whatever Kisuke needed him to gather, if it was to help Yuzu, he would get it.

He returned to the others and told Kisuke to keep an eye on things while they were gone. If Yuzu turned up, he was to contact them immediately.

"I got it under control," Kisuke told them, but he was really talking to Ichigo. "Take care of yourselves."

"Let's get going."

Renji opened the Senkaimon while the others stood behind him. Ichigo and Uryu stood beside Kenji, knowing he was still untrusting of the Soul Reapers. He knew them so he should have been less hostile towards them. Orihime followed behind them. If Yuzu or anyone else needed medical attention, she would be there to help.

"Alright," Rukia said as they entered. "Let's do this."

* * *

Please review! ^-^


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

The trip to the Seireitei wasn't the issue. It was the trip through the Seireitei that was the problem. From the moment they arrived, they were given strange looks. More specifically, Kenji. The only reason for them to receive the same drawn out glances was because they were traveling with him.

Everywhere they went, people stared at them and whispered. Some even backed away fearfully, hands hovering over their sword hilts. None drew, but it was obvious that they were ready to kill if anything should happen.

Word of the rouge Soul Candy traveled fast throughout the city of Soul Reapers. Few actually knew about the experiment beforehand. Those who weren't aware were told by the few who did and the word spread from there. Everyone who had heard the rumors of one being brought in were now lining the long hallways and grassy paths with reproachful expressions. A Soul Candy capable of fighting back with weaponry equal to their own undoubtedly caused this tension.

Rukia and Renji had expected this welcome with the Soul Candy in tow. Orihime looked concerned, as if fearing the looks were meant for them. Uryu knew they had done nothing to receive such looks and therefore reassured her that everything was fine.

Ichigo didn't notice any of the looks. Even if he did, he didn't care. He was too preoccupied with his sister's fate to worry about anything else.

A loud voice shook him from his thoughts and soon realized they had traveled all the way to the gate of the 12th Division. Mayuri had come to greet them. Or rather the Soul Candy. It actually wasn't much of a greeting, but rather a collection. He spoke and acted as if Kenji was a rare trading card he had been seeking for some time. Now he was free to marvel at its splendor as it fell into his hands.

"Is this it?" Mayuri asked excitedly. "My word! I certainly was not expecting this. Oh, I see. You've placed him in a Gigai of his own, have you? No doubt the work of that Kisuke fellow. I would have chosen a more suitable body for it. One far more durable and perhaps a bit bigger. Is this how it's managed to survive among humans all this time? No doubt they never noticed a thing. Humans are not very observant. Come now, bring it in. Bring it in. We have much to discuss."

Kenji did not move. He was eyeing Mayuri up and down as he did with any person he met. Ichigo hoped he didn't declare Mayuri a threat and attacked.

To his great relief, Kenji did not. He merely labeled him a Soul Reaper and that was that.

However, Kenji did have an important question. The answer would determine what would happen next. "Are you going to destroy me?"

Ichigo gave Mayuri a warning look, but the Captain wasn't looking in his direction.

"Not just yet. You have far too much information to dispose of. You are the only one of your kind to actually travel all the way to the World of the Living. And the first to actually leave the lab! I could never pass this up. I wish to learn all that I can from you."

Before destroying him, at least, but Mayuri left that part out. He was very intrigued by the Soul Candy. He wanted to learn how much this creature understood and the extent of its communication capabilities. However, Mayuri was already aware of the power this Soul Candy possessed and knew better than to say anything that would offend or frighten it.

Hurting its feelings wasn't the issue since Kenji apparently didn't have any feelings. However, it did have a strong will to live, so as long as Mayuri didn't say anything that would cause Kenji to believe his life was in jeopardy, he wasn't likely to attack.

That could all change in an instant if they were not careful.

Mayuri wanted to get all the information he could from the Soul Candy before he actually dismantled it. Just like Kenji, Mayuri was after information. Once he obtained it, the Soul Candy would be obsolete. The Captain also had orders to destroy the Soul Candy. He could delay it as much as possible, but in the end, he would have to carry out the order.

"Tell me," said Mayuri as he guided the Soul Candy inside. "How did you survive? In your normal form, you are incapable of moving on your own. How did you leave the lab? How did you obtain this body?"

"I do not know how I left the lab," confessed Kenji. "I became aware of my surroundings when I was placed into a foreign body. There were two men with me. One held a doll."

"A doll?"

Kenji nodded. "Once a body became a hindrance for any reason, I would abandon it for a new one. I was in three living bodies and one corpse. The corpse did not last long as a host. The muscles seized up and became immobile. I latched onto a living human and operated the body from there, leaving the corpse on the ground. The third living body was that of a Quincy." He pointed. "That one."

Mayuri saw Uryu and burst out laughing. Uryu grit his teeth.

"I see you're still kicking," said Mayuri. "He must have left you willingly."

Uryu rubbed the back of his neck. "It still hurts like hell."

"Consider yourself lucky," Mayuri went on. "During the first experiments, we discovered that trying to force the new Soul Candies out would result in the death of the host. Be thankful no one tried to pry it out of you. You wouldn't be here if they had."

Uryu gulped but didn't stop rubbing his neck. He tried to look unfazed, but everyone noticed the look of horror in his eyes. He did consider himself lucky to come out of it with only a sore neck as opposed to the alternative.

"So you were in two living bodies, yes?" Mayuri turned back to Kenji. "Then you must have been in the World of the Living. Hmm. I was going to ask how you got there but it seems you wouldn't know anyway. So tell me, these people you saw… Who were they?"

"They took my sister," Ichigo snapped. "Is anybody going to address that? We're just standing here talking about-"

"I wasn't talking to you," Mayuri said firmly. "This new model can tell us so much more."

"But not where she is! We're running out of time! Who knows what they could be doing to her?"

"And you think these people are here?" Mayuri asked skeptically. Then he frowned. "Well, I suppose it's possible if they somehow managed to get a hold of this Soul Candy here… Perhaps we should find them in order to ask how they came across this Soul Candy. They would have had to enter the lab somehow and knew exactly where they were being kept."

"Who cares?" Ichigo snapped again. "And we named the Soul Candy Kenji, by the way. He's here, he's in a Gigai, and he was hanging around with those two guys and they have Yuzu. Let's go!"

"Go where?" Rukia asked him in a stern voice. "We don't know where they are and you told us on the way that none of the people had Yuzu with them when you saw them."

"Which means she must be here."

"But where here? If you know where we need to look then lead the way. Otherwise this is a wild goose chase."

Rukia was right. If they didn't know where the people were or where they were keeping Yuzu, they had nowhere to start their search. They would just be wandering around a vast area. They could search like that for years and never find her. Having a location would help a great deal. Once they narrowed down the possibilities, then they could begin the search. Until then, gathering up a search party and sending them out with no leads wouldn't be justified. Or allowed.

It would help if they knew why the men had taken Yuzu in the first place. That might clue them in on possible locations. They might have needed to go to a certain building that had everything they needed. Without knowing why they wanted her, it was impossible to know what they needed and where they would go. This whole situation seemed impossible to remedy.

Ichigo felt so helpless. He didn't know where to start looking, he was worried about his sister and furious that Mayuri only seemed interested in talking to Kenji. He was hoping something would happen just so he could get some answers. If the assailants showed up at the Seireitei in an attack, then he could demand answers from them. It wasn't a plan, but it was all Ichigo could come up with.

"And in this Gigai, you don't require food, is that so?" Mayuri continued his interview with Kenji.

"Correct. Only a living body requires food. A corpse or an artificial body does not."

"Interesting. I had my suspicions, but nothing was ever verified. Well, with the way things were going…" Mayuri shrugged. "You probably don't need rest either, do you?"

"No, I do not."

"Ah… And your weapons are in good shape, I assume?" Mayuri motioned with his hands. "Show me, show me."

Everyone shook their heads, but Mayuri kept waving, encouraging Kenji to reveal his weapons.

Kenji allowed one sickle to leave his back and held it up for Mayuri to see. He did not swing.

"My, my, would you look at that?" Mayuri moved closer to Kenji and motioned for him to lower the blade. Kenji slowly lowered it and Mayuri put his hand on the surface of the blade. "Strong, sharp. I see. And the flexible appendages allow you to extend your reach. Wonderful. It's just as the reports said."

"Reports?" asked Uryu.

"Of course. I wasn't the one overseeing the experiment at the time. This was before I became the Captain. Kisuke was recently appointed and he was supposed to finish up the tests on these new Soul Candies, but he deemed them too dangerous, as did everyone else, so it was scrapped. Rumor is that he was supposed to give the order to have them all destroyed, but it was actually the Head Captain who had given the order. Don't know why that rumor got started. It was probably a mix-up on account of Kisuke being given the order to destroy them himself. But he disappeared before it was completed."

"Disappeared?"

"Yes. He was supposed to oversee their destruction, but he vanished before that could happen. Or was he imprisoned? Who remembers these things? Either way, he was no longer around and with the big chaos over the other Captains and Lieutenants Hollowfying, needless to say that no one remembered about the Soul Candies. Their destruction was put on the back burner but unfortunately no one remembered until recently to get rid of them all."

Now they had a timeline. The Soul Candies were supposed to be destroyed but Aizen complicated matters. After turning those Soul Reapers into Vizards, everyone was too preoccupied with that incident to remember the Soul Candies and they were forgotten.

Then Ichigo noticed something Mayuri said in the same statement. "Wait. Until recently?"

Mayuri nodded. "Yes. We discovered the Soul Candies recently and had them all destroyed."

"All of them?"

"Yes. Except this one." Mayuri pointed to Kenji. "Why do you think I'm so curious as to how he escaped and made it all the way to the World of the Living? They were all locked up in the lab and had been for years. Why and how did this one escape?"

"But they were all eliminated?" asked Uryu.

"Yes. All of them."

"When?"

"About two days ago, I suppose. Going on the third."

That was around the same time Kenji came to the World of the Living. Somehow, he got out of the lab before the destruction of his kind. In his Soul Candy form, he couldn't move, so someone must have gotten into the lab and took Kenji shortly before the others were destroyed. Kenji was the last of his kind.

The group looked at him with uncertainty. He still had his weapon out, which Mayuri was still studying, but he wasn't using it to attack.

Upon hearing the news of his kind's destruction, everyone assumed he would have been infuriated and would be seeking revenge. Instead, he stood there calmly without any indication of the sort.

"Aren't you upset?" Orihime asked, breaking the silence.

"Upset?" Kenji asked her.

"About the rest of your kind being killed?"

Everyone tensed up, awaiting his retort. Most of them wished Orihime hadn't said anything. They were worried her words were enough to provoke him.

Still, he didn't attack.

"Why would I be upset?" asked Kenji. "Whether they are alive or not does not impact my life."

"So you're not sad?" she asked him. "Or want revenge?"

Uryu put his hand over her mouth to keep her from asking anything else.

There was still no indication of Kenji being upset. His expression never changed and he never moved the blade he was attached to.

"Revenge? That does not concern me. It is my own life that I care about and my life alone. Whether they are alive or not does not impact my life, therefore their destruction is unimportant to me. My life is the only one that matters as far as I am concerned."

"Self-preservation," Mayuri said with a nod. "I like it. You are indeed self-aware. Ah, it's a shame the experiment was terminated. You guys really had potential. To create something like you, with your intended purpose at the time, was really…"

"Can we please talk about something else?" Ichigo cut him off.

Mayuri rolled his eyes. "You are just a pain today, aren't you?"

Ichigo tensed up, getting ready to yell, when he felt something rub against his chest. He stopped and reached into his kimono. He took out the piece of paper that listed everything Kisuke needed him to get in order to help Yuzu.

He knew Mayuri wouldn't willingly leave Kenji, so a deal was the best way to go.

Ichigo held up the paper. "I have to collect a couple of things. You can talk to Kenji all you want if you let me do that."

"Fine, fine, whatever. Have at it." Mayuri waved him off and Ichigo gladly left.

Everything he needed was inside Mayuri's lab. While he investigated the rouge Soul Candy, Ichigo could gather up what he needed to help his sister. It was a lot better than standing around.

With paper in hand, Ichigo entered the lab. Most of the items on the list were things he had never heard of before. He had no idea what they were or what they looked like. He grabbed one of the technicians and asked for help.

The woman took the paper from him and read off the list. "Why would you need some of these things?" she asked.

"Mayuri said I could and I need them for something important." There was no time for details.

All the woman needed to know was that the Captain approved and that everything on the list was needed. The woman led Ichigo around and loaded up a cart with all the items from the list. Most items were small containers but two items were much larger. One was the size of a basketball and the second item was a machine roughly the size of a folding chair. The woman pressed a button to make it collapse into a smaller size so it would be easier to carry.

Once everything was gathered, she handed the paper back to him. Ichigo thanked her and quickly left the lab, pushing the cart out the door. He looked at the paper and read the instructions at the bottom. It said he was to combine two of the items together, assemble one of the two devices with the other items then bring the whole thing outside the Seireitei.

Would this create some sort of tracking device to locate his sister? Was it meant to lure the people to their location? Whatever it did, it was bound to help them. Kisuke would not lead him astray. If he told him to do something, it was meant to help him.

Ichigo pushed the cart through the streets, getting closer to the main gate.

"What the hell are you doing?" Renji jumped down and landed beside him. Ichigo wouldn't stop moving so Renji had to jog to keep up with him.

"Kisuke told me to get all this stuff and bring it outside."

"Why?"

"To help Yuzu."

"Ichigo, if you give us a minute…"

"No more minutes!" he snapped. "No one is doing anything and I'm sick of it. Kisuke told me to get this stuff so I did. No one else is doing anything, so it's up to me. Everyone can keep talking about Kenji. I'll rescue my sister."

Renji put his hand on the cart. "Whatever happened to us working together as a team?"

"Well, the team seems to be more interested in Kenji than actually finding my sister."

"And Kenji might be able to help us find her."

"He told us he doesn't know where those people are."

"Wasn't it your idea to use him to trade for your sister?"

Ichigo pushed the cart.

Renji grabbed the cart again and stuck his foot in front of the wheel to stop it.

"For crying out loud, Ichigo, would you stop for two seconds?"

"Move it!"

"What good is getting frantic going to do? You need to calm down and quit being impulsive."

Ichigo gripped the cart tightly. "Impulsive? Everyone's standing around talking. They're more concerned about Kenji than about Yuzu. And I am not frantic."

"Could have fooled me."

"Yuzu is out there and I have no idea what condition she's in. She could be hurt and scared and I have to find her. What are these people going to do to her? Is she still alive? Are they going to kill her? They took her alive so I don't think they'll kill her, but I don't know. Once they get what they want they might try. They might kill her to keep her quiet. I don't know! I just have to get her!"

"If you calm down-"

"I'm plenty calm!" he screamed.

"You said it yourself that they probably won't kill her. At least not yet."

"'Yet' is the thing I'm most worried about. We don't know where they are or what they want with her. We don't know their goals or anything. If we had an idea…"

"Then you'd be calmer? That's the problem. Since we don't know anything, you're getting worked up more than you normally would be. You are frantic. If we knew, we could have a plan. We'd be organized. But you running off isn't-"

Ichigo ran over his foot and kept going.

"Ow! See? This is what I mean!"

"You can either help me or complain."

Renji chased after him, limping slightly from getting his foot crushed by the wheel.

"I'm just saying, you're being stupid, Ichigo. If you slow down…"

"I've waited long enough."

"Subtlety is not your strong suit."

Ichigo made it all the way to the gate and told the guard to have it opened at once. The guard complied and Ichigo pushed the cart outside. Renji jumped in front of the cart which resulted in a collision. The cart tipped over and the gathered items spilled onto the ground. Nothing was broken, but Ichigo was still furious.

"What the hell?"

"Would you wait for us before doing something stupid?" Renji snapped at him.

Ichigo bent down and started picking everything up.

"We don't even know what this stuff is supposed to do."

"So?" Ichigo piled everything up and started assembling what he needed to.

"For all you know that thing could explode once you get it put together. Know what you're putting together before you put it together, man!"

"And if you guys tell me not to, then what?" Ichigo turned around. "Lose the one chance I have of finding my sister? Kisuke said to do this. He said it would help."

"But he didn't give you any more than that to go on?"

"Details aren't important."

"The hell they're not!"

Ichigo stood up and faced Renji. "I didn't bother to ask partly because I had a hole in my gut at the time!"

"Big deal!"

"I also didn't bother to ask because I didn't want to waste more time. Third of all, Kisuke said he would go over the details later."

"You need to think, you idiot!"

"I am thinking! About Yuzu! Apparently, I'm the only one who is!"

"We're all worried about your sister."

"You don't act like it!"

"Dial it down and you'll see we're all working on this. We were going to talk more about it, but you had to go off and do your own thing. Include us so we can tell you when you're going to do something stupid!"

"I'm through waiting around!"

"There's that frantic side of you again. You're a lot calmer when you have details and know what's going on. If you waited two seconds, we could have formed a plan and done something. Instead, you're doing this!"

"What good would a meeting do? No one knows where they are or where they're keeping Yuzu."

"But if you give us a chance-"

"A meeting would only waste time!"

"Your frantic and stupid attitude is a waste of time! I'm telling you we could come up with something. Doing this by yourself without any thought at all is what's-"

Renji put a hand to his chest and doubled over.

"Renji?" Ichigo stepped closer and saw blood. "What happened?"

Renji pulled a knife from his chest and tossed it on the ground. "Where the hell did..?"

"For me? You shouldn't have."

Both spun around and saw a man standing over the overturned cart and the pile of items. It was the same man Ichigo had seen in his house. The same one he fought.

"You!"

The man bent down and gathered the items. "So you are a Soul Reaper. Not sure it's a good look for you." Items in hand, he started to run the opposite direction.

Ichigo immediately drew his sword and started to chase him down. "Get back here!"

Something red soared between them and hit the ground. A massive explosion erupted along with a choking cloud of dust. Ichigo stopped where he was, blinded by the cloud. It suffocated him.

"A cero!" Renji's voice cried out. "A Hollow must be nearby."

Ichigo couldn't see anything in the dust cloud. He was so close when the cero was fired that he nearly got hit himself. He could still feel the heat from it passing by his face. He was lucky, but he didn't feel very lucky.

Once the dust settled, the man was gone along with the items.

Ichigo coughed, looking around. The dust was still in his lungs. Able to breathe again, he jogged forward, looked left and right, then jogged to the side. The man was gone and he left no trail.

"Dammit!" Ichigo fell to his knees as reality hit him.

The man was here which meant Kisuke was right. They did return to the Soul Society. That man wasn't in the World of the Living after the fight, supporting Ichigo's theory that he was the one who had Yuzu. She wasn't with him this time, so he must have had a base set up in this world. He was keeping her there. It meant they were close to finding her, but there was a huge problem now. The man had taken off with the supplies that would supposedly help them find the enemy and save Yuzu. Now that the enemy had it, what did this mean? It meant they had no way of finding her, but was it possible that those items could help the man find them should they attempt to search for her? Would this make it easier for the enemy to avoid capture?

One way or another, this meant they were back to square one. Those items were to help them find Yuzu. Without them, they didn't have a chance. He had gathered those items for nothing.

"No sign of any Hollow," said Renji. "Where the hell did that come from?"

"That was my one chance…"

Renji heard Ichigo muttering to himself and bent down. "What's that?"

"That guy took it. Everything I collected. It was supposed to help us find her. Now we have nothing. How are we supposed to find her now?"

"This is why I told you to wait."

Ichigo wasn't saying anything. He appeared to be in shock. Renji remained where he was and waited for Ichigo to recover, but it was taking a while.

Telling Ichigo off wasn't the right thing to do right now but Renji wasn't sure what to do for his friend. He knew how to yell at him, but not how to comfort him.

"Hey…" Renji tried to keep his voice gentle. "It's alright. You gathered those things once, we can do it again."

Ichigo shook his head. "Those big things on that cart… Those were the only ones they had in the lab. I can't get a replacement."

"Oh." Renji tried to come up with something else. "Well, at least we know that guy's here. And if those items were from Mayuri's lab, he might have a tracking device inside of them. You know how he is. I'm sure we'll find him, especially now that he has those things."

That did help reassure him. Ichigo perked up a little bit, but he was clearly still in distress.

The enemy was doing a good job of keeping themselves hidden and everyone in the dark about their intentions and location.

"But if those things he took have tracking devices in them, then we might be able to find him and Yuzu." Ichigo stood. "Let's get back inside. We have to tell the others what happened."

"Are you including us now?" Renji asked him, half teasing.

Ichigo hadn't been listening when he should have been. Uryu told Ichigo to not let his feelings control him so he would be able to think more rationally. He had agreed, but he had been unable to keep any promises. Renji said that Ichigo was getting frantic and he hadn't believed him until now. He was frantic and he understood why. It was just as Renji told him; they didn't have a lot of information to go on. Without a plan or any idea at all, Ichigo panicked. He wouldn't have if he knew what the enemy was doing or where to find them. He also would have been less stressed if his family member hadn't been taken. All these things combined made Ichigo a mess.

In order to be in top form and ready to fight, he had to calm down and not get frantic. It was easier said than done, but now Ichigo could see what would happen if he didn't.

Every time he let himself get too worked up, he would make costly mistakes. First, it was the stab wound in his gut, second, it was having all the supplies stolen from him. If he got too worked up again, and his sister was nearby, he could end up getting her killed. For her sake, he had to keep his cool.

Just as Uryu had warned him before.

Renji was right, as well. He didn't have to do this alone. His friends were all here to help him.

"Let's get her back and stop these guys," Ichigo said to Renji. "Together."

He grinned. "That's more like it."

* * *

After a quick explanation to the rest of the group and getting chewed out by both Rukia and Mayuri, Ichigo asked if they could get him in touch with Kisuke.

"Since our stuff got taken by the guy, Kisuke might have a back-up plan."

"Stuff that I never said you could take," Mayuri growled. "I said you could go to the lab. Not help yourself to my things!"

"I said I was sorry."

They managed to get a hold of Kisuke pretty quickly.

"Your body's still doing just fine, Ichigo. But I don't see any happy expressions. I take it you haven't found Yuzu yet."

"No, and I gathered up all the things on that list you gave me. But they were all stolen by one of the guys who took her. Do you have another idea that could help us?" Ichigo asked.

Kisuke frowned, looking at Ichigo in confusion. Ichigo assumed this meant that Kisuke didn't have another plan. What he actually said left Ichigo and the others shocked and confused.

"What list?"

Ichigo looked away from the screen to see his friends wearing similar expressions to his own. Ichigo looked back at the screen. "The list you gave me. You wrote it down on a piece of paper and gave it to me in the alley after I got stabbed. Uryu was there."

Kisuke shook his head. "I never gave you a piece of paper."

"Yes, you did. Back in the alley."

He shook his head again. "No, I chased after the two men who were fleeing. I lost one in the crowd, so I went after the other one. When I couldn't find either of them, I went back to the alley but you were already gone, so I went back to the shop." His eyes fell on Uryu. "Then Uryu came to my door and said you were being treated at Orihime's and that you guys concluded that the enemy might return to the Soul Society so you wanted to know if I could send you guys there in a little bit. You gave me an explanation for why you thought that, and I thought it made good sense. About how most of them came from the Soul Society in the first place, and how they got a hold of the Soul Candy to begin with."

Uryu shook his head from side to side. "I never went to your place. I stayed with Ichigo the whole time."

"But you were at my door. I saw you. I heard you. It was you."

"It couldn't have been. I never left Ichigo's side."

"It's true," said Orihime. "He never left my place. He watched me heal Ichigo's wound and we talked about how you said the men might return to the Soul Society. That was you who said it, not Uryu."

"I never said that. Uryu told me."

"No, I didn't. You told me."

Everyone stopped and gave each other confused looks. This didn't make any sense.

"What's going on here?"

Ichigo looked at the piece of paper crumpled up in his hand. "Well, if you didn't give me this, then who did?"

And why did they want him to get those items?

* * *

So what's going on here?

Please review! ^-^


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9:**

It didn't make any sense. The only conclusion they could come up with was that those events happened, but they simply forgot about it.

"So someone tampered with our memories?" asked Orihime.

"It wouldn't be the first time," said Uryu, remembering what had happened not too long ago with the Fullbringer. "But I know I never left the building."

"What about when we all left to look for Kenji?"

"But I never went to Kisuke's."

"Then someone's lying?"

"Someone is."

"Kisuke said he didn't write the note. But the person who wrote it knew what these items were and where you could get them. Kisuke's been in this lab before, so he must have written it. Who else could have?"

"Someone who's been in this lab before."

"But who?"

Ichigo narrowed his eyes. "Kenji."

"You're saying he wrote it?"

"He could have attached himself to Kisuke then left, right?" asked Orihime.

"No, his mannerisms were all off. Kisuke acted like Kisuke."

"No, no," Ichigo said. "I didn't mean Kenji wrote the note. I meant Kenji was in this lab. In his candy form. He couldn't move or see or anything. But someone had to take him out of the lab. I'm saying that whoever took Kenji out of the lab is the same person who wrote me this note."

"That does make sense," said Uryu. "But it was Kisuke who was with us. He looked and acted and sounded just like him."

"I'm still thinking it was someone who tampers with memories," said Orihime. "They could have made Kisuke remember something else, like Uryu going to his place instead of what actually happened."

"I don't know…"

"It could be," she insisted. "Or it was someone who knows hypnosis. That's possible, right?"

"I guess… But…"

"Then we need to look for someone dressed like a magician."

Ichigo and Uryu exchanged looks, raising their brows.

"Moving on…"

"I got all the information I needed out of the Soul Candy you affectionately named Kenji," Mayuri said, returning from another room. "He doesn't know who took him from the lab so that's a dead end. But now we can get rid of him."

"What?"

"While he may serve a purpose, the order was given some time ago to eliminate him and the rest of his kind," said Mayuri. "He's the only one left. Now that I've collected all the data, it's time to-"

"Wait, not yet!" Ichigo moved between Mayuri and the door leading to the room Kenji was in. "We need him. He might help us get Yuzu back. Just hold off, ok?"

"That matter isn't settled yet? What have you been talking about this whole time?"

"Do those devices have trackers on them?" Ichigo asked abruptly. "The things I took from the lab?"

"Hm? Oh, those. Yes. One of them does. I just checked."

"Good." Ichigo felt relieved already. "Can you tell us where it is? We find it, we find them."

"The coordinates are still on my screen."

"Great. So we go to that location and try to trade Kenji for Yuzu. Who else is coming?"

Renji and Rukia volunteered, just in case Kenji tried to escape. Orihime agreed to come along just in case he tried to chop his way to freedom. Uryu remained behind, suspecting the enemy might try to come into the Seireitei while Ichigo and the rest were gone. A choice he himself was reluctant about.

They left the Seireitei and followed the coordinates to where Mayuri's stolen machine was located. With any luck, the enemy would be with it.

"You intend to use me as a bargaining chip, correct?" asked Kenji as they walked.

"That's the idea," Ichigo told him.

"I am not sure I follow your logic."

"Whether you find them to be a means to an end or not, you were still a part of their group. If we show up and agree to return you to them in exchange for Yuzu, then we can settle this without a fight. Even if there is a fight, as long as I get Yuzu back, it's fine."

"That is irrelevant to my inquiry," said Kenji. "I understand your intentions, but I do not follow your logic. If your sibling is the prize, why would they surrender her for me? After all, they did willingly leave me behind once she was in custody. To me, it makes no sense for them to give up what they have already obtained, especially if it was their prime directive in order to obtain a tool. Other than my skills, I am of no use to them."

Ichigo stopped walking. Kenji had a point.

Why would they give up Yuzu if she was who they wanted? They did leave Kenji behind and never bothered to look for him. It was unlikely for them to make this trade. Why would they give up what they wanted? Why surrender the prize?

The realization made Ichigo break out in a cold sweat.

"To think that this trade would happen successfully and on your terms when based on faulty logic is-"

"That's enough out of you," Renji growled.

Hearing another's voice helped Ichigo regain his composure. "Even if they don't accept the trade," he told Kenji, "I want to see where they're keeping Yuzu."

"I see," said Kenji. "The true intention is to discover her location for a proper rescue mission. That would make a lot more sense."

Grateful that Kenji didn't point out any faults with this plan, Ichigo resumed his walk out into an open field of dry soil.

It looked like it hadn't rained in this area for months. The soil was dry and cracked and any grass that grew from the barren field was yellow and hard. There was a forest in the distance but since it was so far away, Ichigo knew if a fight occurred, there would be no shelter in the field.

Ichigo wasn't sure which terrain he preferred if there was to be a battle. The trees would provide cover for both sides, which was both good and bad depending. An open field meant that neither side, friend or foe, would have any cover. If Yuzu was with them, she could get hit with a stray shot. But this also meant the enemy would have nowhere to hide in the midst of battle. Even worse, the enemy would see them coming long before a battle could begin. If they were spotted, which they surely would be, the enemy could take Yuzu and flee somewhere else. If they had more cover, then Ichigo and his friends could launch a sneak attack.

He wasn't sure if he would rather find them in the woods or out here. The forest would take longer to reach.

As it happened, Ichigo did not have to wait long to find the enemy. They were in the middle of the barren field.

Ichigo's heart skipped a beat. Lying beside the two men was his sister.

He fought the urge to rush over to her. He had learned his lesson from the last two mistakes within the past day. They were closer to her. If he made an attempt to grab her, the men would reach her first. If that happened, he would be helpless to stop them. He had to not rush in. He had to keep himself under control.

The man from before looked up from his tinkering, spotting the group. The man with the doll remained seated on the ground beside Yuzu.

The man who had taken the supplies stood up with a smile. "I was wondering when you'd show up," he said in a mocking tone. "I was getting bored."

"We don't have to fight," said Rukia. "Let's talk this out."

The man looked at the one holding the doll giving him a look of uncertainty. The man then looked back at Rukia wearing a smug grin on his face. "Oh? What did you want to talk about?"

Rukia reached behind her, motioning for Kenji to step forward. When he didn't move, Ichigo guided him by the shoulders and stood him next to Rukia.

Up at the front of the group, Ichigo could see his sister more clearly. She had her eyes closed, but he could see her chest moving up and down with each breath. She was alive.

"The girl you have there is our friend's sister," Rukia told the man who was standing. "She shouldn't be here. This world isn't meant for her yet. She's still a living human. Please return her to her family."

The man holding the doll tightened his hold on it and gave Rukia and the other man a fearful look. He did not want to give her up. The way he held the doll made him look more like a spoiled child than a threatening man. He still refused to say anything, communicating instead with expressions and body language.

The message was clear to the standing man. He shook his head. "Now why would I do that?"

"We can trade you something." Rukia gestured to Kenji. "Your partner you left behind in the other world. We're willing to exchange him for Yuzu."

Kenji and the man looked at each other. The man didn't look impressed by the offer and looked away. Kenji continued to study the man, analyzing him the way he did everyone he met.

Then Kenji spoke a name. A name rather than a race or species.

"Miku."

That name meant nothing to the others but it meant something to Ichigo.

He grabbed Kenji's arm. "What did you say?"

"Miku." Kenji pointed. "There."

He was pointing at the man they had been speaking with.

Ichigo looked at the man's face, knowing this wasn't him. They were two different people. Miku was the man in front of his school and he had red hair. This man had brown hair and fought him in his home.

Why would Kenji call them by the same name?

The man chuckled lightly. "I should have known. You were always so perceptive. I liked that about you."

Ichigo gave the man a questioning look.

"Hm? Oh, of course. You don't recognize me, do you, Ichigo? I don't blame you. The first time we met each other, I looked like this."

The man straightened his back, making sure Ichigo got a good look at him.

His hair changed color and his body grew a few inches shorter. His face changed, his clothes changed. Soon, they were looking at a different person. The person Ichigo met outside his school.

"What the hell?" Ichigo didn't look away for a second, yet he couldn't believe what he was seeing. The man changed forms in front of him. He had seen Arrancars transform and Soul Reapers, too, but this man was a human. At least, that's what they thought he was.

The man now transformed into the one Ichigo knew as Miku laughed. "You should see your face."

"So… You… and that guy…"

"One and the same. Oh. And thank you for getting everything off the list." Miku's form changed again. "It was to help your sister, after all."

Now standing in front of them was Kisuke. Everything down to the voice was him.

Ichigo's eyes widened. "You… You're the one who wrote me that note. You gave me the list, not Kisuke."

"That's right. I'm a very good actor, aren't I?" Miku spun around using Kisuke's likeness. The long hem of his coat billowed out behind him as he spun. When he stopped spinning, he looked like the redheaded Miku again. "I knew if I told you to get all that stuff because it would help your sister that you'd do it and do it well. No mistakes and you would get everything off the list. Thank you for that. I also knew you would do it if it was a friend telling you to do it."

How could he have fallen for such a trick? Ichigo couldn't believe it. He played right into their hands.

Everything made sense now. This was why Kisuke didn't remember writing the note. He never wrote it to begin with. He probably disguised himself as Uryu as well to keep the real Kisuke off their trail. The reason was unclear for now, but Ichigo didn't care.

Now that he knew this, he was able to make another connection. Back in the alley, he had been stabbed with a knife by a young boy. Renji was stabbed not too long ago with a knife as well. It was the same person. It was Miku all along.

This meant they only had three people in their group. The three men at his front door. This was their entire group. Their exact numbers were unclear until now. There were only three of them.

This was good news. With the whole group here, Ichigo didn't have to worry about any more surprises.

"I thought that Kisuke fellow could be of some use. I transformed myself when he chased after me back there. Since he was looking for someone else, he didn't realize I was standing right there because I didn't look like I did when he first saw me. Clever, huh? I then went back to you in his form and gave you that list. Since I knew you two would be out of the way, I transformed myself into your uninjured friend and went to find Kisuke. I had to make sure everyone was on the same page, otherwise people would say things the others weren't aware of and get confused."

Miku boasted like he was so clever.

"I also had to make sure you got to the Soul Society, so I gave both of you the same idea. I hinted that we might show up back in this world so you guys would have to get there, too. When Kisuke said that he had a way to send you there, I thought my job was complete. Imagine my surprise when I found out you got here another way." Miku shook his head in amusement. "You Soul Reapers captured the Soul Candy and brought him back with you and Ichigo hitched a ride. Imagine that. I guess I didn't need to work that hard. You got here by other means."

It just happened to work out in Miku's favor. He didn't know Kisuke had contacted the Soul Society to let them know about Kenji which resulted in two Soul Reapers coming to collect him. The Soul Reapers happened to be ones Ichigo was familiar with and convinced them to bring them all back to the Soul Society. Not everything was the result of Miku's careful planning. Some of it was just luck and coincidence. Unfortunately, it still fell in his favor. He got what he wanted either way.

"Do you want Kenji or not?" Rukia said loudly in order to get Miku's attention. She could see Ichigo getting more and more agitated.

"Kenji? Is that what you named him?" Miku struggled. "Well, it's about time he had a name. I couldn't think of one. It's not like my name, which was taken from the word 'mimikku' which means 'mimic'. Miku is actually just a shortened version of that."

"Do you want Kenji or don't you?" Rukia asked again, now getting agitated herself.

"Him? Nah, you can keep him." Miku stepped closer to Yuzu. "Why would I trade the girl for him? I already got what I want. Why trade the prize for the tool you use to get the prize? Seems counterproductive, doesn't it?"

"See? I told you," said Kenji.

They weren't going to trade for Yuzu. She was lying on the ground right in front of him. It seemed like there was only one option left and that was to attack.

Ichigo grabbed his sword and went after Miku. He was careful about how he swung so Yuzu wouldn't get hit, even by the gust from his swing.

CLANG!

Ichigo's sword rang as it collided with another blade. Miku fended off Ichigo's large Zanpakuto with a pocket knife.

"What?"

This was impossible. How could Miku stop his sword with a smaller blade? One he was wielding one-handed while Ichigo swung his sword with both arms.

Miku smiled at him.

While Ichigo held Miku in place, Rukia ran to get Yuzu away from the action. Miku saw her moving and thrust a second blade from his pocket into her shoulder. He pulled another one from his pocket and hit her again with deadly precision. Th second knife hit her knee and she went down. She tried to get up but Miku used another knife to hit her remaining leg.

When he held up another one, Ichigo pulled his sword back to aim at his other arm. Again, Miku blocked with one hand.

How could he be this strong? He was only a human and Ichigo was in his Soul Reaper form. He should have been stronger. He should have been able to overpower him.

Just like in his house, Miku was able to not only hold his own against Ichigo, but could defeat him as well.

Not this time. Ichigo would not be defeated a second time by the same man.

He swung his sword again and it was blocked by the knife. Again and again and every time he was blocked. If only Yuzu weren't behind him, Ichigo could use a more powerful attack.

Rukia couldn't get her now, but maybe Renji could.

He rushed behind Rukia. It was unclear if he was going to help her or reach Yuzu, but Miku didn't give him the chance to do either. He tossed another knife which went into the side of Renji's neck.

Ichigo stopped pushing against Miku to look at the Soul Reaper gurgling blood. He put both hands to his neck to stop the bleeding but the blood kept coming. Renji was unable to speak and from the sound of things had a hard time breathing. He dropped to his knees, taking big gulps of air through his nose.

Ichigo felt a sharp pain in his stomach and stepped back. Miku was attacking him now that his friends were down.

"Time to go."

His statement was used as a signal for the man behind him to grab Yuzu. He picked Yuzu up in his arms, resting the doll on her chest, and carried her away.

"No!" Ichigo tried to push Miku aside but he got another knife in his stomach instead. It was driven in deep enough to make him stop breathing. Then Miku pulled it out and followed the man into the distant forest.

Ichigo tried to follow them but a shield composed of light blocked his path. His wounds were starting to heal. Looking to his right, he saw both Renji and Rukia being healed as well. It was a good thing Orihime was with them. Renji might not have made it back with his wound.

"We have to go after them," said Ichigo.

"We need to get reinforcements," said Rukia. "The three of us were no match for them. We couldn't even take down one man."

"Only because you didn't attack him directly. You went for Yuzu and he stopped you. If we attack him all at once, I'm sure we can stop him."

"I'm with Ichigo on this one," said Renji. "We know where they're going and that they have Yuzu. I say once we're healed, we go after them. By attacking that guy as a group, he'll be overwhelmed."

"If that happens. We still don't know what that other man can do. We need to know what the enemy can do before we jump right in. If we don't, we'll be the ones overwhelmed."

Ichigo looked in the direction the men were traveling. He could see them as tiny specks in the distance.

"I still can't believe that guy was so strong," he said to himself. "He was on equal ground with me and he only had knives. How could he be that strong?"

"Humans can possess surprising strength," said Rukia. "You surprised me. But I don't think that man is a normal human being. Not if he can change his form like that."

"I'm wondering where the hell he's keeping all those knives," said Renji. "Just how many does that guy have?"

It didn't matter to Ichigo. Whether the man had a knife or a sword or a cannon, it didn't matter to him. He would face all of them to get Yuzu back.

* * *

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	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10:**

Now healed, Ichigo led the charge toward the forest. If they moved fast enough, they could reach the enemy before they made it to the trees. Renji followed alongside Ichigo, his sword raised over his head. Rukia and Orihime followed after them, knowing they would need help. Kenji followed as well, but mostly to gather information. He didn't fight during the first round, so why would he now?

Once the men were in sight, Renji unleashed his sword. The long flexible blade blocked their path and swung upwards, nearly beheading them.

"Watch it!" Ichigo snapped. "You could hit Yuzu!"

"Sorry."

"Why do you think I haven't been using attacks like that?"

"I said I was sorry!"

Miku turned to face them, dropping the equipment to the ground. His hands were now free to use all the knives he wanted. The man with the doll stood behind him, cradling Yuzu.

"I'll handle this," said Miku. "Stay down."

The man lowered himself to the ground, but continued to hold Yuzu. It was clear that he was afraid they would snatch her away if he let go of her for even a second.

Giving a battle cry, Ichigo swung his sword at Miku. He blocked with the knives once more.

Renji stuck with the plan of attacking Miku as a group. Once they took Miku down, it would be easier to rescue Yuzu. They had to reduce their numbers.

He raised his sword high over his head and brought it down. The sword's reach extended, allowing Renji to attack from a safe distance should Miku try using the knives again to attack directly.

Miku held up his other hand and blocked Renji's sword with a second knife. Both arms occupied, Rukia moved in to finish it. She didn't unleash her sword's full power, also concerned about the helpless Yuzu being caught up in the attack, but her blade still posed a threat in its current state. She tried to stab Miku from the side, knowing it would be impossible to defend himself without moving his hands. If he did so, one of the three blades would hit him. The number of blades outnumbered his arms.

As the sword got closer, Miku made his move. He jumped. Rukia's sword passed harmlessly under his feet. He landed on the blade, forcing it down. He lowered his right arm and kicked Ichigo's sword, forcing it towards Rukia. Ichigo pulled back to keep from hitting her. Then Miku jumped again, landing on the other side of Renji's weapon. Using the Zanpakuto as a shield, he tossed knife after knife at Ichigo and Rukia. Ichigo used his own sword to block.

It was just one man. They should have been able to take him.

The frustration and confusion fueled Ichigo's next attack. He willingly threw his sword at Miku. He couldn't stop the flying blade, so he jumped aside. Ichigo ran to retrieve his sword but Miku expected this. He threw a knife at Ichigo who blocked with his own arm. He pulled the knife free, threw it back at Miku and picked up his sword. He spun and the two clashed blades.

"You are a stubborn one, aren't you?" Miku said in a mocking tone. "Willing to go so far for one girl. How admirable."

"Shut up!"

"Did I say something? You're so sensitive."

"I said shut up!" Ichigo took a swing at Miku with his fist. Miku tilted his head to the side to avoid it. Ichigo swung his sword again, but Miku kept blocking it.

"Karakura Town may be a tough place, but I also grew up in a rough town. One far worse than yours. You either learn how to fight, or get crushed. You have to know how to take on gangs of people bigger than you are and a lot stronger. You have to know how to fight them."

Miku pushed Ichigo's sword back with the strength of his arms.

"I've been fighting since I was a child. Living where I grew up made me tough. I learned how to take on all sorts of people in all kinds of numbers. Your sword doesn't scare me. Your numbers don't scare me. I know how to take you all on. Even this little fish in a big pond surrounded by sharks knows how to make it out alive."

He knew Miku was bragging, but he had the strength to back it up. Miku was used to taking on large numbers so attacking him as a group wouldn't work unless they had more people. In that sense, they should have gone back to get help, but Ichigo didn't want to lose the trail.

Miku may have taken on lots of humans at once, but never a group of Soul Reapers as far as they knew.

A direct attack might not work, but something else might.

Ichigo backed up. "Getsuga Tensho!"

The blast went straight for Miku, but he ran to the side to escape it. Ichigo aimed again and Miku fled. Renji offered his assistance and used his sword to strike in the shadow of Ichigo's attack. Together, they chased Miku across the field. Neither managed to hit him.

Renji thought he could cut Miku off by attacking where he would be after Ichigo's strike. He would chase Miku right into his attack. Renji used his sword to attack just after Ichigo launched another blast. Renji's attack was aimed right where Miku would run.

The blast hit the ground where Miku stood. He stopped to avoid the hit. Ichigo had the perfect opportunity to strike, but he didn't. The blast had caused him to looked elsewhere.

Renji's attack caused pieces of rocky soil to get airborne. Rocks and soil shot in several directions like a lawn sprinkler. Some of the stones were heading right for Yuzu.

Ichigo stopped and watched the stones drop from the sky. Yuzu couldn't defend herself and Ichigo couldn't move his body. The sight caused his body to freeze.

Those stones were heavy enough to crush her skull if they hit just right, but no one would reach her in time.

Before Ichigo could scream her name, his eyes beheld a strange sight.

The man with the doll threw his body over Yuzu's. He wedged his hand under her head to press it to his chest in a protective manner.

The rocks never hit either of them. Seeing the error in his attack, Renji used his Zanpakuto to slap the stones away. They crumbled and crashed around the two, neither receiving injuries.

Ichigo was able to breathe again. Then he glared at Renji who had caused the danger in the first place. "Be careful! You could have hit her!"

"I saved her, didn't I? You're welcome!"

"After you nearly-"

"I'm sorry! Can we drop it?"

Miku looked in the direction of the man and Yuzu. Once he saw they were unharmed, he returned to the battle.

Miku threw several knives at Ichigo and Renji this time but they were all blocked by a shield of light which exploded after being struck. Orihime had joined the fight as well. Miku had not seen her abilities until now. He looked impressed.

"Not bad." He looked at Ichigo and Renji. "Having a girl fight your battles for you now? I'm starting to lose some respect for you."

"Just give Yuzu back!" Ichigo demanded.

"Give up what we've worked so hard to get? Fat chance of that happening."

"Just give her back!" Orihime pleaded. "Please!"

Miku laughed. "We worked so hard to get her. We're not giving her up. Not a chance."

Ichigo gripped his sword. "Then I'll cut you in half!" He was angry enough to do it.

"Go right ahead."

That was all the invitation Ichigo needed to hear. He dashed forward and sliced the air in front of Miku who stepped back. Miku kicked him in the stomach. Ichigo swung again and Miku danced around his blade. He was fast. Ichigo kept swinging. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't land a single hit.

Miku stopped and looked in a different direction. "What the hell happened to her?" he asked in a horrified tone.

Ichigo turned away to look at Yuzu, but she was perfectly fine.

"Moron!" Miku stabbed Ichigo in the chest with a knife. He pulled another one from his pocket and stabbed him again. He stabbed the back of Ichigo's hand so he couldn't hold onto his sword and stabbed him on the shoulder. Both hands flew over his body, stabbing him again and again.

A shield went up between them and Miku jumped back before landing a hit on the shield. He knew better than to do that. Instead, he moved to the side and threw a knife around the shield and into Orihime.

"Ah!" She grabbed her chest and hunched over.

"Orihime!" Ichigo cried, looking back at her.

Miku threw another knife which Renji deflected. Miku jumped over to where Yuzu lay and whispered something to the man with the doll. Miku looked back at the group and grinned.

"Later, Reapers!" He grabbed the equipment and dashed away along with the man and Yuzu.

"They're not getting away!" Ichigo tried to follow them, but was distracted by Orihime crying out in pain. He stopped and returned to his friends.

The blade was in deep and it was painful to pull out. She sniffled and started to heal herself the second the knife was freed from her skin.

He had to find his sister, but he couldn't neglect his friends. They were hurt from battle. Orihime didn't have their kind of endurance or power. She was still human. If that knife had hit her somewhere else, she could have been killed on the spot.

They needed help.

Ichigo had to admit defeat on this one. His sister was alive, but if his friends kept fighting like this they would end up being killed. They needed to go back and get more people.

"Let's head back and get help," Ichigo said solemnly.

"What about Yuzu?" Orihime asked.

"They still have that thing with the tracking device in it. We'll find them again." Ichigo tried to give her a smile but he couldn't get his lips to move into position. He wanted to reassure Orihime with a brave face but he couldn't manage it. He could only use his words. "Besides, she's still alive. I don't think they're going to kill her. It's ok for us to leave and come back with more people. We'll get her back next time."

Orihime nodded. "Yeah. We will."

Ichigo looked into the forest. He knew they hadn't gotten far but they couldn't go after them yet. He didn't want to leave when they were so close, but he didn't want to lose anyone else. He had to think of what was best for his friends.

He hated to admit it, but if he went after them alone, he would lose. If they couldn't handle the enemy as a group, he stood no chance on his own.

This wasn't a solo mission. He needed them and he knew that.

"And where the hell were you?" Renji snapped, looking at Kenji. "Why didn't you help us fight?"

Kenji answered simply, "It was not my battle."

"You could have helped us!"

"Why? Whether you get injured or not is none of my concern. Why would I risk myself for a Soul Reaper? There was a chance of me receiving injury so I remained somewhere safe and watched."

"In other words, you did nothing." Renji grumbled and paced the ground in anger. "We might've had a chance if you bothered to help."

"It was not necessary for me to take part in the battle. My life was not at risk, but it would have been if I had taken part. I would only have engaged in battle if my life was threatened. Since it was not, I remained where it was safe and observed should the situation have taken a change. If it had, I would have battled to defend myself."

"I'll threaten you now, you big…" Renji picked up a rock and Rukia held his arm down.

"That's enough."

"But he…"

"Enough."

Renji dropped the rock. "Fine."

If he had carried out his attack, Kenji would have struck back which no one wanted him to do.

Ichigo looked back at the forest.

He didn't tell Orihime that Yuzu was unlikely to be killed just to reassure her or himself. He believed it. He watched the man with the doll protect her. He put himself in danger to keep Yuzu safe. He wouldn't have done such a thing if they were going to kill her.

Even so, something was odd about what the man had done. It wasn't so much what he did as how he did it. His method of protection was different. He could have pulled her aside or picked her up. Instead, he used himself as a shield.

As hard as he tried, Ichigo couldn't see an enemy doing such a thing.

The man with the doll seemed like less of an enemy to him now. He wasn't sure why. After seeing the man protect Yuzu like that, Ichigo couldn't see him in the same light as before. Almost as if there was a connection between the two of them.

But that was impossible, wasn't it?

Even so, he couldn't shake this feeling.

* * *

They returned to the Seireitei to report what happened. They also explained that Miku could disguise himself as anyone he chose. Uryu now understood why he and Kisuke weren't on the same page. It had been Miku.

Once Mayuri found out about the changeling, he wanted all the information he could get. He told the group to capture Miku alive if they could in order to conduct a few experiments. They didn't know if that was possible considering how strong he was.

Mayuri then asked where Kenji had gone and if they could bring him to the lab for his destruction.

Ichigo protested at once. He argued but Mayuri wasn't interested.

"He can sense the changeling," Ichigo said finally. "We still need him. If he can sense who Miku is, we can make sure he's not inside the Seireitei as one of us."

Mayuri sighed. "Fine. I'll leave him alone for now. But I still have my orders."

"You can't kill him," Ichigo said firmly.

"This isn't my choice. The order was put in some time ago to eliminate them all and Kenji is the only one left. Whether I want to or not, Kenji is going to be destroyed. I'll hold off for now and if the Head Captain asks why, I'll tell him what you told me. But this is just a reprieve, you know? Once your sister is rescued, Kenji will be destroyed."

The only reason he was still alive was because Ichigo kept telling everyone to hold off on killing him. The only reason they listened was because Kenji was still useful to them. Once Yuzu was safe, Kenji would no longer have a purpose. Ichigo would have no further excuses.

A group of Soul Reapers were rounded up and given the mission. It wasn't an army, but it was enough to overwhelm Miku. Even he couldn't take on ten or twelve Soul Reapers at once.

After witnessing Orihime's injury, they advised her to stay behind. She protested, arguing that they would need her should someone get injured and they surely would, but they couldn't risk her getting killed. Miku would no doubt aim for her on sight now that he was aware of what she could do. No doubt he knew she was human, too, and therefore knew where to aim. She reluctantly agreed to stay behind for the time being.

Ichigo found Kenji standing against the hall in the hallway. Ichigo stood beside him, hoping his presence would be enough to entice him to talk. When it wasn't, Ichigo broke the ice.

"How are you doing?" he asked.

Kenji turned his head. "Humans often say that phrase but I have yet to understand its meaning."

"It's just what I said. How are you?"

"As in my condition? I am alive, clearly. What more is there for you to know?"

Ichigo sighed. "Are you ready to go back out there and help us?"

"I will accompany you, if that is what you are asking. Since I am in working condition, readiness is irrelevant. And if you are referring to human emotions, I must remind you that I have none."

Ichigo groaned. "You really are a robot, aren't you?"

"I am organic."

"That's not what I… You know what? Never mind."

They stood silently for a while, then Ichigo asked him something else.

"For someone without emotion, you seem to be fearful of being killed. You attack anyone who threatens you."

"I do not consider that fear," answered Kenji. "It is basic instinct. Every creature has a desire to live. Would they not also resort to violence when their lives are threatened? I am merely doing what is essential for my survival."

"And that's why you didn't help us fight back there?" Ichigo asked him. "Because you would have been at risk?"

"As I informed that other Soul Reaper, it was not my battle. My life was not the one in the balance. It was neither targeted nor effected by the outcome of the battle."

"You didn't run off, though. You stayed with us."

"It seemed logical. Where else would I go? I could also gather more information by remaining close to your group."

"Will you help us now?" Ichigo asked him. "We're going back out there. We could really use your help."

"For identifying Miku, yes. That I can do and am willing to do in order to assist you. However, I know you are wishing for me to take part in the battle because of my skills. That I most assuredly will not do. Not unless I am also targeted. For me to engage in battle when the first strike was neither aimed nor inflicted on me seems pointless. At least, from my point of view. What would I have to gain by doing that? I would be putting myself at risk with no benefit to myself."

"It would help us win."

"But your battle is not my battle. The deciding outcome and all factors does nothing for me. Whether you win or lose the battle has no effect on me whatsoever."

Kenji would only fight if he was directly or indirectly effected. If his fate wasn't changed, for better or worse, he saw no reason to participate.

It was true. Nothing would change for him whether he fought or not. The battle was not about him, and he would be killed after the battle, whether they win or lose. He had nothing to gain or lose.

Convincing him to help them fight was going to be nearly impossible. The only hope Ichigo had was for a stray shot to hit Kenji which would prompt him to attack. Since he would be with them anyway, it could happen. Ichigo hated that he had to hope for an ally to get hit, but if it was the only way to get Kenji to fight.

No one else saw Kenji as an ally, however. Ichigo actually didn't see him as one either, now that he thought about it. Kenji was only looking out for himself. He just happened to be with them due to recent events. He never asked to assist them. It was thrust upon him and since he would lose nothing by doing as they said, he agreed to do as he was told.

It was also possible that he agreed to help them because they might keep him alive if he proved himself useful. Ichigo wondered if this was Kenji's logic. He didn't know, but it didn't matter. Kenji was going to be killed whether he was useful or not; compliant or not. He was alive right now because they needed him, but only because of Ichigo's pleading. Basically, Kenji was alive as a favor to Ichigo. They would have killed him despite all his uses, but Ichigo got in their way. There were other factors, but Ichigo knew he was the main cause.

"Looks like everyone's ready to head out." Ichigo gave Kenji a nudge. "Let's go."

Kenji followed Ichigo quietly.

"I know we're dragging you along, but you don't have to look so glum," Ichigo told him. "Try smiling a little."

"As I stated before, I do not know how to smile."

* * *

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	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11:**

The group of ten marched to the new location ready for a fight. The plan was to take out the changeling first, then worry about recovering Yuzu.

"I saw you fight," Kenji told Ichigo as they walked. "You are quite strong. You could have easily defeated Miku if you had unleashed that attack from the very beginning. Instead you used a direct attack. Why did you hold back your true power?"

"Because Yuzu was behind him."

"So?"

"So I didn't want to hit her."

"I am confused. Do you wish to defeat Miku or rescue your sister? From what I have seen, you cannot do both. Which is your top priority?"

"Yuzu, of course."

"I see." Kenji was silent for a moment. "Miku will make that very difficult for you. As you are currently aware, Miku is the one preventing you from reaching your sibling. Your strategy is to take him out, then retrieve her. He will purposely choose to stand in front of her. In order to take him out, you will have to unleash a powerful attack with him standing in front of her. You must put her at risk in order to defeat him."

"I won't do that," Ichigo growled.

"Then I do not see how you will achieve your goals. He will choose to stand there, knowing you are unwilling to put her at risk. Luring him away will be difficult. He knows what you are after and what you are not willing to do. My conclusion is that you must sacrifice one to obtain the other. You can either defeat Miku while risking your sister or not risk her life and be prepared for Miku to remain undefeated."

"You're telling me that something has to give in order for us to win?" Ichigo shot him a look.

"I am saying that according to the information I gathered, it is your best option in order to end the fight quickly with minimal losses. Otherwise, be prepared for a drawn-out battle. It had already been concluded that you cannot rescue your sibling while Miku stands between you. All who have tried ended up injured and defeated. Metaphorically speaking, he is a wall which blocks you from your sibling. With the wall gone, you have better access to her. If she should be behind the wall when it explodes then so be it. At least then you will be able to access her. Without causing damage to the wall, she will remain out of reach."

"I am not going to risk her life," Ichigo snarled at him. "The whole point of this is to bring her back home alive and unharmed."

Kenji blinked. "Then this will be a difficult battle." He looked away. "It would be in your best interest to be open to compromise."

"That's your idea of compromise?" he snapped. "To be willing to let my sister get hurt? Even killed, just to get the guy out of the way? Are you insane?"

"It is the most logical path. Miku is strong and he stands between you and he knows where to stand in order to keep himself safe. If he is out of the way, then there is no longer an issue. In order to do that, she will have to be put at risk. As long as you achieve your goal, it is acceptable."

Ichigo growled at him. How could Kenji be so unfeeling? What he was saying might be true, but it wasn't right. He basically was telling him to shoot through the hostage in order to hit the bad guy. That was something Ichigo could not do. It might have been in Kenji's nature to keep walking if a stranger was in danger, but it wasn't in Ichigo's. Ichigo cared about people, whether he knew them or not. If he was unwilling to put a stranger at risk, why did Kenji think he could for his own sister? The fact that it was her in danger made everything worse.

"However, if rescuing her alive and unharmed is the prime directive, then it must be done," said Kenji. "It will make matters more difficult but not impossible. If you render him incapable of moving or if you manage to hit him with a direct hit at short range, it should be enough to keep him at bay and keep your sibling safe."

Ichigo relaxed slightly. It seemed Kenji was willing to work with him to some extent.

The group stopped and those in front motioned to a collection of trees not too far away. The men were gathered there. The man with the doll pointed and Miku turned around. He saw the Soul Reapers and stood up.

Ichigo drew his sword. The battle would begin soon.

The Soul Reapers spread out, getting ready to attack Miku from all sides. He couldn't throw a knife at all of them at the same time. Someone was bound to get to him without being hit. When they did, the fight would be over.

Uryu, who had accompanied the group this time, put his hand on Ichigo's shoulder. "I don't like this. That Miku guy looks too confident. Normally, that would be an enemy's downfall, but there's something different going on here. He's too calm. I don't think the Soul Reapers should get that close. He's expecting them to attack from all sides."

"If their attack doesn't work, then you shoot him with an arrow," he whispered back.

"I could hit her."

"What else can we do?"

Uryu watched the Soul Reapers close in. "Do we know why he took the things he tricked you into gathering? What they're for?"

"No."

"That's part of what worries me. I don't know what they are, but I don't see them here."

Ichigo looked around but he couldn't find them either. They must have been here because the tracker led them to this location. They could have been hidden behind the man with the doll or among the trees.

Whatever those items were, Miku wanted them.

The Soul Reapers issued a verbal threat and ordered Miku to surrender. When he refused, they attacked all at once. Most weren't using their swords in order to make sure Yuzu was kept safe from any stray attacks.

Miku grinned. He ducked down and tucked himself into a ball.

At the same time, the Soul Reapers were thrown back, yelling in pain. They landed on the ground with knives in their bodies. Every one of them had been hit several times.

"How did he..?"

Uryu looked at the trees. "They came from up there. He didn't throw them."

"He has something that can throw knives like that?"

"Apparently."

It could have been the items he assembled together and hid away. Ichigo was sure of it.

The Soul Reapers started to rise and Miku ran forward to attack. He wasn't directly in front of Yuzu anymore but Ichigo still couldn't launch an attack without hitting her. Miku made sure she was always behind him, no matter how far forward he went.

Knife in each hand, he jumped and landed on one Soul Reaper, pressing the knife in his chest deeper with his feet. When someone tried to attack from behind, Miku swung his body around and cut the attacker across the face and chest. He sprang, leaping from Soul Reaper to Soul Reaper, slicing and stabbing any way he saw fit.

"How can he move that fast?" Uryu said in awe.

"Welcome to my disbelief." Ichigo was glad he wasn't the only one who thought Miku's power was unreal.

Miku tossed them aside and stood triumphant, knives dripping blood at his sides.

"Is that all you got?" he asked them. "Come on. Show me what you can do. You are nothing."

The ground beneath him started to freeze and he jumped aside. Rukia was willing to attack now that he was further away from Yuzu. She tried to trap him over and over again, but he fled closer to Yuzu each time. She stopped her attack and Renji took over, charging from a different direction. He tried to chase Miku away from Yuzu, but he would only go so far. Renji used his Zanpakuto to strike, thinking Miku couldn't block the sword in its released from, but he was wrong. Miku knocked it aside with his knife and tossed the second into Renji's shoulder.

Renji and Rukia weren't enough to stop him. He forced Renji back and attacked Rukia directly. Miku moved too fast for her to get a lock on him. Before she knew it, he was in her face. She tried to stab him but he grabbed the hilt of her sword and pushed it aside. He couldn't miss from where he stood. With his free hand, he stabbed her in the rib with a knife. She tried to use her sword, but his hand prevented her from moving it. He pulled it from her hands and used it to throw at Renji who was coming to her aid. The sword went into his stomach. Miku grabbed Rukia by the neck and forced her down. He raised his knife high in the air.

"Rukia!" Ichigo ran to save her.

Miku heard him coming and threw the knife at him. Ichigo let it hit his arm and kept going. He wasn't going to stop.

Miku grabbed Rukia with both arms and rolled. End over end until Rukia was back on the bottom and on top was… Rukia?

Ichigo stopped where he was and looked at the twin girls.

The one on top punched the other in the face and the one on the bottom pushed the other's face with her hand, trying to get her off.

"Ichigo," they both said at once.

He looked at both of them. "You've got to be kidding."

"That's him," they said in unison. "I'm not. You are."

He had no way of knowing who was the real Rukia.

Except…

Ichigo turned around. "Kenji, which one is Miku?"

He looked at the two of them. "That one. The one on top."

The twin switched back to the redhead. "Working with the Soul Reapers now, are you?"

Ichigo swung his sword to chop Miku's head off but missed. Miku flipped backwards and landed on both feet. Ichigo attacked again, but Miku was too quick for him.

"If you don't win here, how many more men will you send our way?" he asked, dancing between Ichigo's swings. "This was a joke. You're a joke."

Ichigo swung and he saw some of Miku's hair flutter to the ground. He was getting closer.

"Why can't you just leave us alone? We never declared war with you people. Why are all the Soul Reapers coming after us?"

"You kidnapped Yuzu!"

"So? Is that really a Soul Reaper problem?" Miku blocked with a knife and got in Ichigo's face. "They're probably only helping you because you're their friend. If I had taken any other human, no one would care."

"Give her back," Ichigo growled. "Give her back!"

"Not likely."

Miku cut Ichigo's arm and jumped back. He jumped again when an arrow flew by his head. As long as he wasn't lined up with Yuzu, Uryu could fire and not worry. He only released one arrow at a time. A barrage would be two risky.

Ichigo came after Miku again. Another Soul Reaper joined him along with another. Miku alternated between dodging and grabbing their weapons. Ichigo felt pain in his side and saw the Soul Reaper's sword sticking out of his body. The other cried out as his partner's sword stuck him, too. Miku was making them attack each other. He moved aside and guided the sword with his hands and movements, making sure they hit everyone other than himself.

Before they could pull their swords free, Miku slashed at all of them. Ichigo fell to his knees from the blow and both men fell on their stomachs. Miku picked up the fallen swords and prepared to use them on Ichigo. He took aim at Ichigo's neck and swung at a downward angle.

CLANG!

A second blade stopped the first. This one was a sickle.

Miku looked to the side and saw Kenji using one of his blades to protect Ichigo.

"You…" Miku glared. "Why would you do that?"

Wasting no time, Ichigo jumped to his feet and punched Miku in the jaw.

"Unh!" Miku put a hand to his chin just as a second fist hit him below the eye. He staggered.

Now was his chance. Ichigo picked up his sword and slashed at Miku's torso. He tore the sleeve from his arm and cut a hole in his jeans. Blood ran down Miku's exposed knee.

"W- wait!"

This was the first time Miku ever looked fearful. His mocking grin was gone and his eyes had gone wide with fright.

Ichigo kept swinging. He cut Miku's arm as he reached for his pocket. He wouldn't let him draw another knife. He pulled his arm away and held it to his chest. He walked backwards, fleeing from Ichigo's sword.

"Hang on..!" Miku couldn't keep up with him. He had always been faster until now. What changed? Was it Ichigo's fury or was it his confidence? Was it before he landed a blow on him? The punches did send Miku reeling. Maybe it wasn't Ichigo who had changed but himself. Had those hits weakened him that much?

Miku could only step back. Ichigo swung again and blood was drawn from Miku's forearm. He tried to escape backwards, but stumbled and fell on his backside. Miku braced himself on his hands and Ichigo stood over him. He wasn't going to stop.

Ichigo raised the sword high over his head, ready to bring it down. He was going to cut Miku in half.

Growling with rage, Ichigo started to bring the sword down with both hands.

He stopped, sword over his head, frozen.

Ichigo's brown eyes went wide. His heart stopped for an instant, then pounded as if it would escape from his chest.

Sitting in Miku's place was his mother.

She was exactly as he remembered her. Everything from her clothes to her hair to her eyes. It was her.

Seeing his mother under his swing was enough to make him stop cold. Seeing her in the flesh after so long left him in a frozen state he couldn't free himself from.

What brought him out of his shocked state was a sword in his chest. Miku had transformed back and used a fallen sword to stab Ichigo between the ribs.

All he could manage was a short gasp. His lungs weren't working right. He couldn't breathe.

Was that one hit really enough or had he lost too much blood already without realizing it?

Maybe it was just because Miku knew exactly where to aim.

Ichigo dropped his sword. He could barely hear it clang behind him. He could barely make out his friends' voices calling out to him. His vision faded and Ichigo toppled over.

* * *

Cheap trick from Miku!

Please review! ^-^


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12:**

When Ichigo opened his eyes, he was inside a building. His friends started to come into focus.

"What happened?" he asked and they all crowded around.

"Ichigo, are you ok?"

"You took a bad hit."

"That was a low blow by that Miku person."

Ichigo's chest was sore but other than a few minor pains, he felt fine.

Within a few moments, he knew he was in the sickbay. The group must have returned while he was unconscious. This left him with only one important question. The answer would determine what he asked afterwards.

"Where's Yuzu?"

The group looked at each other. No one wanted to answer.

"Where is she? What happened?" The longer he waited for an answer, the more agitated he became.

"You were hurt," said Uryu. "After you got stabbed, we carried you back here."

"But Yuzu! What about Yuzu?"

"They got away."

Ichigo sat up in bed. He couldn't feel the pain in his chest over the anger burning inside him.

"You let them get away?" he yelled. "Why didn't you stop them? There were only two people! We outnumbered them! How could-"

"It's more complicated than that," said Rukia. "The point is we couldn't."

"Why not?" Ichigo demanded an answer.

"That's not important."

"Yes, it is! Tell me what happened!"

"We know where they are," Rukia told him firmly. "We're going back out there with more people. The preparations are being made now. Seated officers and Lieutenants. We'll be able to overpower them this time."

"Yeah," said Renji. "They did their best, but those guys who came with us were just flunkies."

"Renji," Rukia hissed. "They nearly got killed out there."

"I know that. I'm not belittling them. I'm just saying someone didn't take this seriously. Either those guys went in thinking this was no big deal or the people who assigned them to go out there figured a human wouldn't be this much trouble. Somebody goofed is all I'm saying."

Out in the hallway, they heard someone yelling at the group of Soul Reapers who had been treated for their injuries.

"Seriously? There were ten of you and one man! A human, no less. What is wrong with you?"

"We're sorry. We…"

"No excuses! It's just one human and you all come back with your tails between your legs! Disgraceful! You are Soul Reapers! You face Hollows! You let a mere human get the best of you?"

"This human wasn't mere. I mean… I just…"

"This guy was tough," said another man. "He may have been human, but he was far from normal. The moves he had… It's like he's been training for years. And his strength. Something's up with this guy. He wasn't a typical human being."

"We never expected this. We didn't think the guy could pull off moves like that."

Renji sighed through his nose and looked away from the door. "No one took him seriously. Not even me." Renji grit his teeth. "To think a human… Then again, I shouldn't be all that surprised. The first time you guys came here, most of you were human. You gave us a good run for our money. I guess this guy's in the same league as you."

Ever since their first battle, Ichigo felt he should have been better than he was. He was angry and frustrated that Miku was so strong. Possibly stronger than himself. He didn't think any human could be. He managed to take down so many thugs with easy. Part of him felt like he was unstoppable. When he encountered Miku, he started to wonder if he had become weak. Had he gotten so cocky, he hadn't bothered to train himself anymore? Was he not as strong as he thought he was?

Now that Renji had brought up the past, Ichigo realized that wasn't the case. He hadn't gotten cocky or weak. Miku was just that good. He had been training from a young age in a town rougher than his own. Miku honed his skills early and kept getting better. Ichigo didn't know what kind of battles he had seen, but it was enough to make him strong, just as Ichigo's battles made him stronger than he was.

Ichigo was stronger than he was when he first came to the Soul Society, so he felt he could easily take on Miku. Apparently, he was wrong. He wasn't the one who was lacking. Miku was just as tough as he was. He even had a different set of skills. This made them about even.

Ichigo had battled Captains and Hollows, but he had no idea what Miku had been facing all these years. Who or whatever they were, they put him on par with Ichigo.

Knowing this, Ichigo felt less ashamed and more driven than ever.

His friends started to leave the room, each needed to attend to something different. Since no one would tell Ichigo what happened, he would have to get answers elsewhere.

"Hey, Kenji."

The man sitting at the far bed nearest to the wall looked up. "Yes?"

He could tell from her tone that Rukia did not want to answer why they had taken off without Yuzu in their company. Even if he argued and screamed, she wouldn't tell him. He was angry they had left without her, but he needed answers nonetheless. He had to know why they fled before rescuing her.

"You were there during the fight, weren't you?"

Kenji nodded. "I was."

"Can you tell me what happened after I passed out?" He had to know.

Kenji paused a moment, not from nervousness but from consideration. He was thinking.

"I am not your friend, therefore I am not bound by the apparent code of silence your friends are partaking of with this recent event. I, too, have questions pertaining to the events. In order to receive clarification, it would be in my best interest to divulge this information. We may both gain from it." Then he said, "I assume you asking if I can tell you what transpired has nothing to do with any general lack of my capabilities but rather whether I am willing or not."

"Yeah, whatever. Are you going to tell me or not?" Ichigo couldn't stand how long-winded Kenji's dialogue was. A simple yes or no would have sufficed.

"Yes."

Kenji recounted the events from earlier that day. Not once during his explanation did he show any signs of concern or shock. He spoke as if reading from a very dull journal entry.

"After you collapsed, your friend Renji went to assist you. He tried to pull the sword from his stomach, but the blade exceeded the length of his arm, so he had to grab it by the blade in order to pull it free. This caused a large cut to his palm. Once the sword was pulled free, he tossed it to your female friend, Rukia. He picked up his own sword and attempted to cut Miku down. Miku held up your body and used it as a shield. Renji was unwilling to cut through you, so he stopped. That was when Miku attacked him."

Miku had used Ichigo's helpless body as a shield so Renji wouldn't attack him. This was why his friends didn't want to tell him what happened. They were worried Ichigo would think it was his fault even though it wasn't.

"When Rukia tried to attack, he threw your body on top of hers. Your dead weight was too much for her smaller frame, so she fell and you pinned her down. Renji attacked Miku while your uninjured Quincy friend tried to help get you off the female. Renji was heavily injured by the attack and could not move. Miku then grabbed your sibling and fled with the other man and his doll. Afterwards, your friends carried each other back along with the injured Soul Reapers who were with you."

Ichigo looked away, letting it all sink in. "So that's what happened…"

"Strategically speaking, I would have encouraged the Quincy to fight rather than help the female. He was uninjured. However, when it came to carrying the injured back to this place, his unweakened body was better suited for the task. If he had also been injured, it would have been a lot more difficult. I assisted only because it would allow me to gather more information. As I have stated, I have questions. It is better to get them from one who is still alive and willing to offer answers. Other Soul Reapers are not so inclined."

Ichigo turned back to Kenji and gave him a hard look. "If you were willing to help carry the injured back, why didn't you help us fight?"

"I would have received no benefit."

"You helped me before," Ichigo recalled. "Back during the battle. Miku was going to use that sword on me and you blocked it. Why?"

Kenji stated numerous times that he only took action if his life was in danger. His was not in that moment. He didn't have to protect Ichigo, but he did. It wasn't much, but it was something. It was certainly enough to make Ichigo question Kenji's motives. Perhaps he was changing.

"I thought you only cared about yourself."

"I do. That has not changed," said Kenji. "I merely assisted in that moment because keeping you alive would have been beneficial to me."

"How?" Ichigo asked, raising a brow.

"As you may already be aware, the majority of the Soul Reapers here do not see reason to keep me alive. If I am in danger, they will do nothing to defend me. You, however, are not like the others. Several times, I have seen you come to my defense without provocation. I never asked you to defend me and yet you did. You plead with the Soul Reapers to keep me alive by exploiting my capabilities. Though several are aware, they do not share in your concern. If given the chance, they would destroy me."

Ichigo had been defending him a lot which did not go unnoticed by the advanced Soul Candy. Ichigo sought to use Kenji in order to get his sister back. That was his main objective, but he also had compassion for the creature. He knew the Soul Reapers had orders to kill him, but Ichigo didn't want to see Kenji die if he could help it.

He still viewed Kenji as an ignorant child for the most part, exploring the world for the first time. Most of the time, because of Kenji's form and advance vocabulary, he couldn't see him as a child. Because of his physical appearance, he found himself becoming irritated by the Soul Candy, forgetting that he was new to so many things. It was only during times when he questioned the simplest of things that appeared obvious to Ichigo that he realized that Kenji, in a way, was a child. At least, in his understanding of human emotions. Otherwise, if Ichigo had to provide his own analysis, he would categorize Kenji as a robot.

"For some reason, the Soul Reapers seem to listen to you," Kenji went on. "Your words carry more weight than my own or that of any other. My conclusion is that by keeping you alive, I also may live. You may continue to help preserve my life. That is why I defended you from Miku's attack."

It was time for Ichigo's next question. "Then why didn't you defend me again when Miku stabbed me in the chest?"

If Kenji had done so, there was a chance Ichigo and his friends could have rescued Yuzu. Instead, he did nothing.

"You were not helpless in that moment. The first time, I gave you a chance because you would not have been able to move in time," explained Kenji. "The incident you are referring to involved you being perfectly mobile. Your sword was raised and Miku was on the ground. You swung your sword. Then you stopped, seemingly by your own choosing. There was nothing in front of you to stay your hand. You left yourself wide open for Miku's attack. Before his strike, I did not see a need to interfere."

Ichigo remembered why he stopped. He wasn't ashamed, but angry and confused.

"Why did you stop?"

"Because of who Miku turned into. He turned into my mother."

Kenji did not understand and told him so. "Why would that image impact you so?"

Ichigo bowed his head. "Because she's dead. I haven't seen her alive since I was a little kid."

Kenji took his words into consideration. "I see. You were startled by her image because you know the woman is dead and you had not seen her in many years. It left you shocked and confused."

"That's one way to put it."

"I am still uncertain I follow. As of now, I will deem your reaction as one who was startled to see a person known to be dead in front of you."

"I don't want to talk about it anymore," he grumbled. Hearing Kenji talk about it was making Ichigo more agitated.

"Very well," said Kenji. "Then it is time for my questions. I have several. Clarify them for me to the best of your abilities."

Now Ichigo felt like he was being given an exam. He wanted to joke about bringing a pencil for the test, but he knew Kenji wouldn't get it, so he said nothing.

"You have stated that the ultimate goal is to stop Miku and rescue your sibling and that she must remain alive."

"Yeah."

Kenji did not look away when he asked Ichigo his question. "Then why did Renji not slice through you in order to kill Miku?"

His question was asked in an innocent way, like a child asking why the sky was blue. The meaning of the question and that fact that it was asked so innocently sent a chill down Ichigo's spine.

He looked into Kenji's eyes. He did not understand the impact of his question nor that it had any impact at all. To him, it was just a question he wanted an answer to.

"Despite being useful to me, you were of no use to Renji in that moment. You were an obstacle. Miku believed he was safe by holding you in front of himself. Your friend did not strike. If he had sliced through you, he would have succeeded in killing Miku. This would bring you one step closer to your goal. Instead, he did nothing and Miku took advantage of it. Surely your friend saw the opportunity before him. Why did he not strike?"

"Because he didn't want to kill a friend," Ichigo told him as if the answer was obvious. "He didn't want to hurt me."

"If our places had been reversed and I were the one holding the sword as your Soul Reaper ally, I would have swung." Kenji did not hesitate in the slightest when he answered. "I would have taken the shot. His sword would have made it impossible to miss, especially since Miku was already counting on him being unwilling to use it. I would have cut through you both in order to reach my goal."

"Even though I was helpless and an ally?"

"Being helpless made you a hindrance. An ally who cannot perform his duties is no longer necessary and therefore expendable," said Kenji. "Besides, the mission dictates that Miku must be killed and that your sibling must be rescued alive. Nowhere does it say that you, too, must be kept alive. Renji has nothing to gain from you, whereas I do. At least, for the time being."

"But people aren't like that," Ichigo argued. "People don't just cast each other aside the second they become a hazard. When they're helpless. People don't discard those they don't need."

"I was scheduled to be destroyed," Kenji told him. "The Soul Reapers did not want me anymore."

His response made Ichigo hesitate. How was he supposed to respond to that? Kenji wouldn't understand because he had experienced a world in which he could be discarded the second someone deemed him useless or a hindrance. Him being alive right now was only due to the fact that someone had use for him. Namely Ichigo. If Ichigo hadn't spoken up, there was nothing standing between the Soul Reapers and Kenji's fate.

Kenji's world was far different from Ichigo's. It might be difficult to make someone like Kenji understand when his personal experiences contradicted Ichigo's words.

"I'm sorry that you've had it rough for so long and that you're constantly worried about being killed," said Ichigo. "But not everyone is like you say. People do care about each other. My friends care about each other."

"Perhaps that is why I cannot follow your logic. I do not have friends. You, like many, are just a means to an end for me."

It was possible that Kenji may never understand.

Ichigo turned away. "Thanks anyway for helping me when you did. You gave me a chance."

Kenji did not respond to Ichigo's gratitude. He didn't move or any anything. It was possible he didn't know what to say after someone thanked him. Either that or no one had ever thanked him before.

Ichigo laid back down on the bed, trying to get more rest. He would need it for the upcoming battle. This time, they would get Yuzu back. They had to.

* * *

Please review! ^-^


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13:**

Preparations were taking longer than expected so Ichigo had plenty of time to rest. He didn't want to but he knew he had to build up his strength for the fight that was about to take place.

Orihime checked on him frequently. On one occasion, she spotted Kenji watching Ichigo from the door. He was just staring at him. Orihime thought he was being a concerned friend and went over to cheer him up.

"Don't worry," she said. "Ichigo will be just fine. He's faced worse than this."

Kenji gave no response.

"I'll be going with you guys this time. We'll get Yuzu back this time for sure." She looked into the room where Ichigo slept on the bed. She wasn't sure if he was sleeping or not, but he hadn't moved in a while so she thought he was. "He'll cheer up once Yuzu is safe."

"The return of his sibling will improve his mood?" asked Kenji.

"Of course. He's so worried about her. I bet he's really upset. More than he's letting us know."

"Why?"

"He probably doesn't want us to worry about him," she said. "That's why he's keeping his emotions inside for the most part. I think he thinks it'll make him seem weak in front of us somehow. I would never think less of him for something like that."

Kenji turned his head. "You misunderstand. I was not asking about Ichigo's decision to limit the show of his emotions. I was inquiring as to why the return of his sibling will improve his mood."

Orihime was confused. "Why? Well… Because she's his sister and he loves her."

"But he has two of them," said Kenji. "Is there a need for both?"

Orihime took a step back. "Huh?" she said softly.

She had never heard someone say this before. Kenji was implying that Ichigo only needed one sister. He spoke as if Yuzu was replaceable. It sounded to her like Kenji was saying that Yuzu was no different from an inanimate object. As long as there was one in ownership, there was no need for a second. One sister was like one table or a desk. Any more than one was excessive.

Kenji couldn't really believe something like that, could he?

"Ichigo has two sisters, but he loves both of them."

"One is not worth more than the other?"

"Of course not," Orihime said firmly, clenching her fists in front of her chest. "He loves both of them exactly the same. He could never choose between the two."

Kenji looked away. "Interesting. Once Ichigo is finished with his rest, I shall ask him the questions I have accumulated." He said nothing more after that.

* * *

"I hardly think I should accompany you on this mission, but clearly a Captain is needed," Byakuya said as he went into his office. "I still find it hard to believe that ten people, most of whom were Soul Reapers, could not take down one human being."

"Captain Kuchiki, this guy is not normal. He's strong and skilled." Renji followed him into the office. "What about the Fullbringers we fought last month? They were human."

"Yes, but they were also given a power-up when they stole Ichigo's power and added it to their own. This human did not do that."

"That we know of," Renji argued. "Maybe he didn't steal it from Ichigo, but who's to say that he didn't get a power-up by somebody else? We never met him before today. We don't know what he's been doing."

"I suppose you have a point." Byakuya sat down at his desk. "We still managed to defeat all the Fullbringers with relative ease, including you. How could this one human be stronger than those people we faced not too long ago? Even with them stealing Ichigo's power, we still managed to defeat them."

"Maybe Miku powered-up in a different way."

"Perhaps."

Renji looked out the window. "That other guy… He still hasn't done anything. The man with the doll. We don't even know his name. I wonder what kind of power he has."

"If any," said Byakuya. "He's either doing nothing to keep his abilities a secret or he doesn't have any to show off."

"True." Renji looked back at his Captain. "Miku's been injured. Ichigo and everyone who came back got treatment. I think now's a good time to strike. We're back at full strength and Miku is weakened. We got a shot."

"I know. Everyone is also taking that into consideration. We decided that we will not wait until morning as we originally intended. We are moving out within the hour. Tell the others."

"Yes, Captain."

* * *

A group was dispatched to the last place they had seen Miku. Ichigo's friends had all come to join the fight. Accompanying them was Byakuya and Kenji. With Renji and Byakuya along with Rukia, they had one Captain and two Lieutenants. That would even the odds. Kenji had not agreed to help them in the fight, but he could still identify Miku if he was hidden in another form.

This time they would get her back. Ichigo kept telling himself that.

As everyone prepared to leave, Kenji stepped inside the room Ichigo had been resting in. He blocked the door with his body, preventing Ichigo from leaving. Knowing he couldn't leave without pushing him out of the way, Ichigo asked Kenji what he wanted.

"I have come to ask additional questions. I was not entirely content with the answers I was given earlier but I accepted them. However, I have additional questions inspired by a conversation I had with the human female. I also seek clarification to the questions and answers from our previous conversation."

"Fine, make it quick," Ichigo told him. "We're heading out soon."

Kenji did not waste time. Once he began his questions, Ichigo wish he hadn't. Kenji did not know how to alter his voice or when to hesitate while asking a question that might strike a nerve. He didn't know how to ask something gently either. He asked all his questions in the same way: bluntly. Like a small child asking anything that came into their mind.

"I noticed in past confrontations, you, as well as several others, have demonstrated the same move," said Kenji. "When I had attacked the two Soul Reapers in the other world, you threw yourself between us. During the battle with Miku, you, as well as your friends, threw yourselves in front of each other. I also noticed several differences. You used yourself as a shield to defend your injured friends, but I did not stop my attack. However, we have already established that Renji did stop his attack while you were being used as a shield."

"Your point being?"

"I just seek understanding. You were a witness to my unwillingness to stop an attack, even while an innocent was in the path of my attacks. This, of course, was before I deemed you an asset. You see the difference?"

Ichigo folded his arms.

"You were not useful to me in that moment but you became useful. That is why my attacks were different. In one situation, I stopped, in the other, I did not. Your friends, however, don't seem to differentiate between the two. Do they not know how, or is there something else?"

"If you're asking why they keep protecting each other, assets or not, it's because we're friends. We care about each other. It's not because we have something to gain. People don't use each other."

"People use each other all the time," Kenji corrected. "While observing humans, I noticed that children use their parents for survival. Parents also use their children. I have observed human adults telling their children to do things for them. I have heard them tell the children to come or to pick something up. Children are servants to adults. The adults do not wish to move from their seat so they asked their children to do something for them. In exchange, the children receive protection and nourishment from the adults. The adults provide food and shelter for the children. It is a fair exchange."

"There's more to people than that."

"From what I have observed, what you refer to as 'friendship' is merely a form of a symbiotic relationship. You both have something to gain." Kenji looked away for a moment. "I am still uncertain as to why your friends risk themselves for each other, even when one is clearly a hindrance, but I assume it is due to this fact. You cannot be without the other because you still have something to gain from them."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "You've got a lot to learn about friendship, Kenji."

"I am trying to understand it, but it only fills me with more questions. For instance, trying to understand why you would put yourself at risk for another. Is the benefit really that great? It seems counter-intuitive, considering that the benefit will be helpful to you and yet you are doing something that will cause harm to yourself in order to protect the object which is beneficial. I do not understand that. Can something truly be worth so much that you would willingly put your own self at risk?"

Ichigo sighed. Kenji was trying so hard to understand human beings. He was trying to understand so many things, but it was difficult for him.

"We have to get going," said Ichigo. "We're going back out there to rescue Yuzu."

"That was another question I wanted to ask you." Kenji looked Ichigo in the eyes. "Your sibling… Does she possess the same powers you have?"

"No."

"Does she have healing abilities like the female human?"

"No, she doesn't."

"Does she protect you?"

"No. Most of the time, I'm protecting her."

"Does she possess any extraordinary abilities that would make her useful?"

Ichigo thought Kenji was asking these questions to better understand why she was taken in the first place, but that was not the case, as he soon found out.

"No."

"Then why do you care?"

Ichigo stood in front of Kenji, open-mouthed. He went into mild shock, hearing someone say that to him in such a nonchalant fashion.

"You have more than one sibling. Another female," said Kenji. "Why pursue this one? You are receiving multiple injuries and your stress is only getting worse. You are also putting these friends of yours at risk. Would it not be better to let Miku take this one and return home to the other? If there is nothing special about her, I do not see why you would care so much. She does not seem important at all. I do not see why she matters. Why you would care."

Ichigo lost all self-control and punched Kenji in the face. He knew Kenji would probably use his blades to attack him, but he had forgotten about that danger. He was too angry to remember Kenji was a threat.

Kenji did not strike back. Instead, he allowed his head to remain in the position it was forced into by Ichigo's punch. After several moments, he slowly moved it back into position to look at Ichigo.

He wanted to hit him again but he didn't. Instead, he stood where he was and panted angrily.

"How could you say that?" Ichigo snapped. "Saying that she doesn't matter? That she lacks ability and is therefore useless? She's my sister and I love her! I'm going to get her back, no matter the danger! I don't care if I'm putting myself at risk! I will save her and bring her home! She's my sister, dammit! That's why she matters to me!"

"But you have more than one."

"I love both of them!"

"I could understand why they would be of equal value to you if they both possessed a different ability, like a sword and a shield, but they do not. Caring about more than one..? Equally? When they have nothing you can gain from them, why would you care?"

"They're my family! Don't you get it?" Ichigo spat. "Don't you understand? Don't you have any sense of human compassion? They're human beings! Not tools! They're family! Flesh and blood and I love them! Not everything is about what people can provide for you. Don't you get that?"

Kenji stared at him then said, "No, I do not. I am not human. I have no family."

Ichigo caught his breath and stared back at Kenji.

"I was created for a purpose. Once that purpose is fulfilled, I am deemed useless and disappear. Whether it is by their choice or my time running out. I have no mother or father and I do not have siblings. I was created by materials, not flesh and blood. I was created for a purpose, not out of what you call love. Love is something I do not understand."

Once again, Ichigo had forgotten that this creature was not human. Kenji was not born the same way Ichigo was. They were not the same. Kenji was vastly different from himself. Different from most.

Kenji started to turn around. "From my perceptive, you are wasting your time. I choose a path which is less likely to kill me. I seek self-preservation. From what I have seen, I would have given up on your sibling a long time ago. For me, it is not worth the injury and emotional distress."

Kenji walked away. As he started to leave the room, he paused at the door.

"For you to fight this hard for one person, she must be worth something to you. Even if it is something that I cannot understand."

He left Ichigo alone in the room, walking down the hall toward the meeting area. He had intended to walk beside Ichigo just in case someone tried to violate the unwritten contract stating that he was not to be harmed until the mission was complete. However, he understood that Ichigo may have been unwilling to see him at the moment. How he understood that was how Ichigo may have been feeling was beyond his comprehension, but somehow, he was now able to recognize it in others.

Along the way, Kenji passed Uryu in the hall. He was standing with his back against the wall. His posture told Kenji that Uryu may have been standing there for some time, waiting for something.

"There is a thing called selfless love, you know? And unconditional love. It's when you care even when you don't have something to gain," Uryu told him as they passed each other.

Kenji paused, letting those words sink in, then continued on his way.

* * *

Please review! ^-^


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14:**

Once everyone was gathered together, they marched toward the last place they had seen Miku. Since he had not taken the equipment with him this time, it would be far more difficult to track him down. According to Mayuri, the tracking device showed the same location which confirmed that Miku had not taken it to a different place. There was a chance that Miku may return to retrieve the device which was why they were returning to the location by the trees.

Along the way, Ichigo said nothing. He was still peeved by Kenji's earlier questions. He knew it wasn't entirely his fault. Kenji didn't understand that his words were hurtful. He probably didn't understand that words could be hurtful at all. Even so, Ichigo felt angry every time he looked at him.

If only he could make him understand. There must have been a way.

He looked at Kenji who had his head turned the other way. Ichigo got a good view of the back of Kenji's neck. It was covered by a baseball-sized piece of what appeared to be leather which had driven several of its appendages beneath the skin. Ichigo could see tube-like structures just under the skin, which burrowed deep into the spine.

It made him wince, imagining the pain Uryu had gone through when Kenji latched himself to him. Clearly, he could not be removed by force. He was in too deep. Though Ichigo could not see it, he imagined the parts of Kenji which had burrowed into the skin had gone even further and were now fused with the bones and nerves of the body.

The sight also allowed Ichigo to see that the man he had been talking to was just a body. A body Kenji controlled. This was Kenji. Kenji was like a hand operating a puppet and the body everyone had been talking to was the puppet.

The body blinked and spoke and moved, but Kenji allowed the body to do those things. Kenji himself was just a sore on whatever body he was in control of. He made the body speak for him because his true form could not speak. He used the body to do everything for him. Even convey his thoughts and desires.

Ichigo stared for a while, wondering what it must have been like for Kenji to live like this. As a Soul Candy, he never knew anything else. He wasn't a real person. He was just a leech latching onto a body for survival. It was no wonder he had difficulty understanding human beings. Understanding anyone. He wasn't a human. He wasn't a Soul Reaper. He was in a class of his own. He couldn't understand because he couldn't relate. That must have been the problem.

Ichigo looked away. He thought about the Soul Reapers wanting to kill him. He thought about how Kenji viewed the world. Maybe if he was given a chance and learned how to relate to people, the Soul Reapers would be more likely to keep him alive. If that happened, perhaps Kenji could view life a little differently. He wouldn't have to think a person's worth was all that mattered. How a person's talents made them valuable. He could see that every life was important, just as Ichigo did.

Every child that was in danger was someone's loved one. Every woman was someone's sister or mother. Someone's child. If he ignored them, if he looked the other way because he didn't know them personally, someone's loved one would not come home that night. Someone would be devastated.

Ichigo knew what that was like. He didn't want it for anyone.

If someone was in danger, why wouldn't he help them?

Ichigo was a considerate person, but he didn't know if he was born this way or became selfless due to events in his past. Could someone learn how to be kind and considerate? Could someone like Kenji learn how to be selfless?

"Hey, Kenji?"

He turned his head. "Yes?"

"If someone were in danger, and helping them would not harm you in any way, would you help them?" he asked.

Kenji thought a moment. "What would be the point?"

"Just that someone needed help and you helped them."

"How would I benefit?"

Ichigo sighed. "Consider this. If you were in danger, wouldn't you want someone to help you?"

Kenji took less time to think about this scenario. "Yes."

"You would want someone to help you if you needed it?"

"Yes, I would."

"Now that you've put yourself in someone else's shoes…"

"I am unfamiliar with that metaphor."

"It means that you've considered things from another perspective," Ichigo told him quickly. "Anyway… Now that you've seen things from another viewpoint, would you be willing to consider helping others in need because you would want them to do that for you?"

"Like repaying a debt? I should help others because then they would owe me a favor?"

"Not even to gain something in return. Just to help people because it's a kind thing to do."

Kenji stared at him.

He still didn't grasp the concept.

Ichigo sighed. "How about this? If you…"

"I know what you are saying," Kenji interrupted. "I just do not see why I would be obligated. Do you not perform an act of kindness in order to have it reciprocated? If committing an act of kindness while not expecting one in return…" Kenji paused. "I do not understand. Why would one do that?"

"Because it's a kind thing to do."

"With nothing to gain in return? Just to do it? By my logic, if everyone did that, there would be no conflict. Everyone would take care of each other for no personal gain."

Ichigo smiled. "Now you're getting it."

"But not everyone thinks that way. Your logic is flawed."

"That's why it means so much when one person does it. Imagine how happy that person would be. I know not everyone is willing to commit a selfless act, so I'll be the one to do it. And if I end up inspiring others to do the same, then it's changing lives for the better."

"For the better?" Kenji spoke slowly this time, processing all the information Ichigo had given him. He still didn't completely understand it, but doing acts of kindness for others while not expecting anything in return did sound very pleasant. He would welcome such a thing, especially if he was on the receiving end. However, doing something for another while not benefiting was something he wasn't inclined to do. He wasn't willing, even if he wouldn't gain or lose anything because of it.

They walked in silence for a while, then Kenji asked another question.

"What is it like to feel happy?"

Ichigo almost stopped walking. "Well, it feels good. I like seeing people smile. That makes me feel happy. For you, I guess achieving something or benefiting in some way would make you happy."

"How does one smile? I know it is an indication of joy, but is it by choice or is it an involuntary response?"

"You don't know how to smile, do you?"

"No, I do not."

Ichigo turned to face him. "Like this." Ichigo grinned.

It was a forced grin because he wasn't feeling happy in the slightest. He didn't know what he looked like, but he hoped it wasn't a mirror image of the face Kenji was making.

He tried to mimic the grin by pulling his lips back as far as they would go while keeping his lips tightly shut. It looked like he was stretching the corners of his mouth to his ears. It looked painful.

It was painful to watch, too.

"No, no, not like that. But good try. Don't pull your lips back that much. It's more subtle."

Kenji tried again, but this time it looked like he was frowning.

"Try thinking of something that makes you happy."

"I am still uncertain what happiness feels like. I do not think I can feel it."

Uryu walked close to them. "What's going on over here?"

"I'm trying to teach Kenji how to smile because he doesn't know how to."

"Is that why you're making faces back here?"

"I am not making faces."

"You looked like you got your foot slammed in a door."

"I was showing him how to smile."

"You call that a smile? It was painful looking."

Ichigo snarled.

"Here's a smile. Hold still." Uryu moved Ichigo's lips into place with his fingers. "A little scary but it's a smile."

Ichigo slapped his hands away. "Be serious."

"And I thought you wanted to smile."

"What's going on over here?" asked Orihime.

"We're showing Kenji how to smile by having Ichigo smile."

"Ohh! Think of puppies and kittens!"

"I am not…"

"I know!" Orihime tried to make silly faces, but it just made Ichigo lean away from her. "What? Silly faces don't do it?"

"That's for babies. I'm not a baby."

"You act like one half the time," said Uryu.

"I do not!"

"Really?" Uryu raised a brow at him. "I had to drag you out of a building because you refused to leave when things didn't go your way."

"You looked childish, dragging me out of there by the ankles."

"You both looked ridiculous," said Orihime, remembering the incident.

"This isn't helping me smile," said Ichigo.

Hearing this, Rukia sneaked behind Ichigo and started tickling his ribs.

"Stop that!"

"I heard you needed to smile so I'm helping."

"Knock it off!"

"Let me try!" Orihime tried to tickle Ichigo as well.

"I said stop!" Ichigo was trying to order them in a commanding tone, but it came out as a whine as he started to laugh. Both girls kept tickling him and he started to laugh harder. "Leave me alone!"

Ichigo ran from them and the girls chased him. He zigzagged around Byakuya and Renji who just kept walking, ignoring the spectacle. When Ichigo tried to use Renji as a shield, the Lieutenant took a swing at his head. When he heard they were all trying to tickle Ichigo, he joined them in the chase.

Uryu chuckled, watching the group run in circles around Byakuya who treated them like they were invisible. His lack of a reaction only made it funnier.

He looked at Kenji who watched with a vacant expression. "Still nothing?"

Kenji looked at him. "He was so serious a moment ago. Now he is laughing which is the result of joy. His mood has changed."

"Yeah."

"Why? Everyone was so serious a moment ago. I can sense the atmosphere has changed as well. Is this what I have heard referred to as a mood swing?"

"Nah, it's a little different than that."

"Then what is this?"

Uryu watched Ichigo stand his ground and chase after the girls, turning their game against them. He knew it wouldn't last much longer, but he liked seeing everyone laugh together during an emotional time. It was good to see Ichigo smile again and forget his worry.

"Friends make each other feel better," Uryu told Kenji. "Ichigo's mood improved because his friends were here to cheer him up."

Kenji watched the game come to an end and the laughter dwindled.

Was it the fact that he was being chased while not in danger, or was it because he was in the presence of friends? Comfort came from the familiar. Perhaps Ichigo felt secure around people he was familiar with. That reduced his stress.

He witnessed it, but he still did not understand it.

* * *

Soon, the group came upon the gathering of trees and they stopped. This was the last place they had seen Miku. Looking around, there was no sign of him.

"Should we spread out from here or wait?" asked Renji.

"It's possible they might return to this spot," said Byakuya. "I doubt we can pick up any spiritual pressure from them. We could trace them based on that, but I don't know how well it would work."

"It's easier to do that with Soul Reapers and Hollows anyway."

"What if they don't return to this spot, brother?" asked Rukia. "They could have gone in any direction."

Byakuya did not answer her. He was looking off in the distance. "Hide."

Two figures were coming towards them from the horizon. The group quickly hid among the trees and waited for the figures to get closer.

They took their time in coming, but they were carrying extra weight. Yuzu was being carried by the man with the doll. The doll sat on her chest. The man's steps were slow, almost sad. He kept his eyes on the girl in his arms, looking up only to see if Miku was still beside him.

Miku put a hand on the man's shoulder and nodded. "Not too much longer." Miku's arm was wrapped in a bandage. He wasn't moving as slowly as his partner. His wound didn't seem to be bothering him, but he couldn't have been healed yet.

The men stopped before they reached the trees. Miku looked into the branches. He wasn't looking for enemies, but something else. Finding what he had left behind, Miku stepped forward.

As soon as he did, Renji struck. His long sword zipped past Miku's shoulder, slicing the air. Miku jumped back, sliding two knives from his sleeves and into his hands.

"Back so soon?" Miku asked. "I see you've brought reinforcements."

Renji jumped from behind the trees and landed in front of Miku, sword pointed at his chest. "It's the end of the line for you, Miku. Surrender now. If you give Yuzu back, we won't kill you."

"I don't believe you. Besides, I already said I'm not giving her up. Not after all the trouble I went through to get her."

"Then a fight it is."

Renji whipped his Zanpakuto at Miku who blocked with both knives. With lightning speed, he tossed several from his pocket in different directions, trying to hit the others while he battled Renji. Knowing he would aim for a vital spot, they all blocked.

Grinning, Miku transformed himself into Rukia, hoping to throw Renji off. Surely, he wouldn't want to hurt a friend, or someone who looked like a friend. Renji only hesitated a moment, but knowing it wasn't really her, kept fighting.

Miku changed into Byakuya next, spotting him among the others. Renji had already fought Byakuya in the past, so he thought little about having to do it again. He didn't pause, knowing it wasn't his Captain. He swung at Byakuya's image, pretending it was the battle they had some time ago. Since it wasn't really him, it would have a different outcome. That's what he kept telling himself. He could win because he was stronger and it wasn't his real Captain.

However, something was wrong. Miku was just as agile, but his strength seemed to increase. Renji felt his sword being pushed back with more force than before. This shouldn't be. If only his image had changed, why had his strength increased?

Miku spun around and kicked Renji in the stomach, sending him tumbling backwards.

Ichigo took his place, swinging his sword with both hands. Miku, still in the form of Byakuya, collided with him. Ichigo felt the change in Miku as well. He was stronger than before.

"What do you think?" he asked in Byakuya's voice. "Isn't it great? Oh, did you think I could only take on a person's form? No. When I take someone's form, I also take their strength. Surprised? It all makes sense, don't you think? Their body, their abilities."

Ichigo had beaten Byakuya before, he could do it again. Granted, it had taken just about everything he had, but he still managed to do it.

Miku glanced to the side, seeing Uryu and Byakuya attempt to take Yuzu away from the man with the doll. He shifted back into his original form and shoved Ichigo aside. Ichigo grabbed the back of his shirt, but Miku had already made his move. A knife went into Uryu's hand as he tried to grab Yuzu, pinning him to a tree. Byakuya kept going even with a knife in his shoulder.

The man with the doll wrapped his arms around Yuzu and tried to run from him.

Miku shifted back into Byakuya and pulled himself from Ichigo's grasp. He wedged himself between Byakuya and the man, his arms out to either side. Byakuya did not care that the man before him was a perfect reflection. He still attacked. Miku moved slightly to one side to avoid being hit by the sword, but he remained between them.

Byakuya saw the man with the doll fleeing the area and attempted to block his path. "Hado 31, Shakaho."

The blast stopped the man in his tracks, holding Yuzu tightly to his chest.

Miku looked to make sure they were unharmed, then looked at Byakuya. Then he looked to the side and grinned. He raised his hand and said, "Hado 31, Shakaho."

To everyone's great surprise, it worked. The blast shot from Miku's palm and went straight for Rukia.

Byakuya turned his head briefly to make sure she got out of the way in time. Rukia barely made it but she did with only some singed clothing.

Then Byakuya felt a stabbing pain in his stomach. Miku had used two knives to injure the Captain. Despite the wound, Byakuya kept fighting.

When Miku tried to stab him again, Ichigo stepped in to blindside him. He shoved Miku into a tree and tried to cut off his arm but he blocked Ichigo's sword. Uryu fired at Miku, keeping him from moving too far from where Ichigo stood.

Miku watched helplessly as Ichigo pressed him into the tree. Ichigo followed his gaze, seeing Byakuya and Uryu both attempt to grab Yuzu from the man. Miku couldn't get away from Ichigo and even if he did, Rukia was right beside him along with Orihime. Renji stood and rushed to offer backup to his Captain and Uryu.

Miku was out muscled and outnumbered. The man with the doll couldn't fight all three men rushing towards him.

Ichigo watched, grateful that it would all be over soon. They did it. His friends were enough to get Yuzu back. These two men wouldn't win this round.

He could feel his joy beginning to rise as Byakuya got closer, reaching for Yuzu with both arms. Renji backed him up, sword in hand in case the man fought back and Uryu was there as additional muscle. He couldn't wait to have her back. He had to see it happen. He wanted to watch the moment she was rescued.

Miku kicked and struggled but Ichigo wouldn't let him go. "It's over," he told Miku. "This time's different."

Miku's eyes widened as he scratched at Ichigo's hands. There was nothing he could do.

The man with the doll saw the trio come closer and curled his body around Yuzu's in a protective manner. He didn't want them to have her.

Byakuya stretched both arms out to grab the small girl. Then suddenly, they were gone. Byakuya's arms were gone.

"What?!"

Byakuya stopped just short of Yuzu, realizing he couldn't pick her up anymore. His foot stepped on something and he looked down. It was one of his arms.

Renji turned, staring at the nubs sticking out of Byakuya's elbows. "How did..?"

The next second, Renji was on the ground screaming. Both legs had been chopped off above the knee.

Uryu saw what had happened and raised his weapon to fire. He fired several arrows, then his own arms were sliced off by a scythe attached to a long flexible tentacle.

Ichigo stared open-mouthed at Kenji who had finished cutting up three of his friends.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Ichigo screamed, forgetting all about Miku. He let him go in order to yell at Kenji. "Why did you do that?"

Kenji looked at the pool of blood growing beneath the men calmly before answering.

"I heard what was said."

Ichigo stared, shaking his head in bewilderment. "What?"

Kenji looked at him. "I heard. Once Yuzu is safe, I will be destroyed." Kenji looked back at the men on the ground. "Because of this, I cannot let you succeed."

Mayuri had told Ichigo that once his sister had been rescued, Kenji would be killed. He was only allowed to live because he served a purpose. He was essential for them to get her back. Once she was safe, there was no longer a reason to keep him alive. Kenji must have heard Mayuri say this.

"While it is true that you, Ichigo, helped me stay alive for this long, the fact of the matter is that I am only here to help you complete a task. If your sibling is safe, then there is no longer a reason for me to be kept alive. You had never come so close to succeeding before, so I did nothing to interfere. If you ever did, I had also decided to take action in order to prolong my life. However, I knew that you would view my action as one of betrayal and therefore, you would not allow me to live either because I would not serve properly. I would sabotage the mission."

Kenji saw Orihime and Rukia standing nearby, but did nothing. He saw Miku inch away from Ichigo and did nothing about it.

"I have considered my options," Kenji went on. "While you were able to convince the Soul Reapers not to kill me, your words no longer carry any weight. After what I have done, no one would allow me to live. Even if I did not commit this act, I would still be killed. I am only living now because I serve a purpose. Once your sibling is rescued, I have no purpose. Not to the Soul Reapers. However, though those two did willingly leave me behind, they never attempted to kill me and they have no reason to. I have concluded that between the two groups, I am more likely to live longer alongside Miku and the other man."

"You're switching sides?" asked Orihime, shocked.

"To be clear, I was never on anyone's side. I merely chose the group and path that would benefit me most. Now that group has changed." Kenji walked closer to the man with the doll.

"You can't do this!" Ichigo screamed at him. "Why would you-"

"I have already explained. This seemed most logical. It is nothing personal."

"Nothing personal? We were this close to bringing her back and you blew our chance!" Ichigo took a step forward. "Don't you know how this makes me feel? To have come so close and then you..?"

Kenji stopped momentarily. Turning his head slightly to one side, he said, "She was never any of my concern. I still do not understand why you care."

Ichigo could not form words if he tried. I couldn't even take into consideration that Kenji was not a normal person. He didn't care. He didn't care about any of it.

Seeing what Kenji had done to his friends and how he had prevented all of them from finally saving Yuzu sent Ichigo into a blind rage. To his mind, Kenji was the reason his sister was still in danger. Kenji needed to be eliminated. He had to pay for this.

Roaring, Ichigo picked up his sword and ran behind Kenji, ready to cut him in two.

How could he betray them? Ichigo actually thought they could have been friends. That Kenji was finally making progress but it was all a lie. Kenji still only cared about himself. He could not change.

Ichigo actually thought he could, and maybe that was why his betrayal bothered him so much. It wasn't just about what he had done to his friends and sister. It was because he trusted and believed in him.

He really thought they had a chance. Not just a chance to save Yuzu but a chance for Kenji to…

A blade cut into Ichigo from the side, drawing a line across his stomach and out the front.

It was not Kenji's blade, but Miku's.

Miku stabbed Ichigo's wrists, forcing the sword out of his hands. He kicked Ichigo's wound, knocking him down. From there, he lifted Ichigo's Zanpakuto and plunged it into his chest.

In his fury, Ichigo had lost his sense of hearing. All he could hear was this high-pitched ringing in his ears. He knew he must have been crying out in pain but he couldn't hear himself. He saw his friends coming to help but he couldn't hear them.

He saw Miku dash away and Orihime rush to heal him. He saw Rukia pull the sword from his chest and lay it beside him. Then she ran out of his sight.

Ichigo turned his head, watching Miku and the man carry his sister away while Rukia went after them. He saw her try to stop Kenji, but he separated her hands from her arms with a sickle from his spine. He watched her drop and Kenji slip the blade beneath his skin.

He saw Kenji stop just once to look at him. Kenji's face held no remorse, but something had made him stop. Perhaps it was only to make sure there was no one left to threaten him.

After he locked eyes with Ichigo for several seconds, he turned and walked away.

Ichigo watched his back get smaller and smaller as he followed Miku's group into the horizon.

Ichigo turned his head away, shutting his eyes tightly. He looked at the sky tinted orange by Orihime's healing light and lamented ever helping Kenji in the first place. Ever feeling sorry for him and even that he ever cared about him.

It was in his nature to be helpful. What good did it do him now? The one he was trying to help not only betrayed him, he also helped the enemy. He helped them win again, he helped them escape, and there was no doubt in Ichigo's mind that he would help them fight from this point on.

Why?

Why did he do this to them?

Why did they still have Yuzu?

Why couldn't they get her back?

Why was it this hard?

Why did he ever believe in him?

Why did he ever trust him?

All he could do was scream. In that moment, Ichigo left like he had hit rock bottom. He felt as if he would never win again. He felt like this battle was hopeless.

How much stronger would Miku's group be now that they had Kenji on their side again?

Was this the last time he would ever see Yuzu again?

Why was this battle going this way? Why weren't they strong enough? Why couldn't he win?

* * *

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	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15:**

"How hard is it to stop one human being?!"

After their return to the Seireitei, a meeting was held to discuss what was to be done now that Kenji was no longer in their company. Orihime had healed everyone's injuries, but they went to the sickbay on orders just to be safe. Ichigo and his friends from the World of the Living were told to remain there until the meeting was over.

Ichigo couldn't believe a meeting was being held with Kenji as the main focus. Had they forgotten about Yuzu or was she not their priority?

Now nightfall, no one was allowed to leave until morning. Once the meeting was over, Renji and Rukia returned to inform the others that a new group would be dispatched in the morning. Now that Kenji was involved, Miku's group was a lot stronger. They needed an army if they had any chance of winning, but the Head Captain wasn't willing to dispatch so many people for such a small group. Personally, he found the threat minimal, even after a Captain and Lieutenant suffered the loss of their limbs. When that was brought to his attention, he claimed that this was on account of Kenji. He was the threat and not the other men. The other men were an inconvenience.

"So we have to wait here until morning?" Ichigo didn't agree with this decision. "What if they do something to Yuzu during that time?"

"These are our orders," said Renji. "I'd like to go back out there, but anyone who tries will be imprisoned. What can you do?"

"I still can't believe Kenji would do this," said Orihime. "I thought he wanted to help us."

"He was only interested in helping himself," Uryu told her.

Renji punched the wall. "Dammit! We were so close! If Kenji hadn't done what he did… Dammit! And now it's going to be even harder. That guy's strong. No wonder the Head Captain wants him taken down. He's the biggest threat we got. The other two are a joke compared to Kenji. Well, Miku's pretty good, but still. You know what I mean."

Rukia knew Ichigo had been brooding for some time over recent events and what he had already been dealing with. She couldn't say anything to make it better. She didn't know if there was anything she could do to make it better, but she knew Ichigo couldn't stay like this. He needed to get his head on straight and he had to fight. She had no idea what he had done during the meeting, but at the moment, it looked like he had nothing left.

He just sat there on the edge of the bed, looking at the floor. She didn't know if he had been like this the entire time or if this was the result of him venting the past hour or so. In a way, it was better than him trying to climb the wall to get out to find the men himself, but being a lifeless mass of a man at his lowest point wasn't much better.

"We are not giving up," Rukia said confidently, hoping to lift Ichigo from his depression. "In the morning, we will have more people and a new plan. We're not letting these guys win."

"I still don't get why the Head Captain didn't bother sending another team out there, he's so worried about Kenji being free," said Renji.

"It's easier to see his blades during the day," said Rukia. "It would be too dangerous to fight Kenji at night. You know how he battles. He goes for vital areas in addition to the things we need to fight and defend. He cut off your legs so you couldn't run and he cut off Uryu and Byakuya's arms so they couldn't fight. Imagine the damage he could do in the dead of night with limited visuals?"

"I guess so…" Renji groaned and threw himself on one of the beds. "Why the hell did Mayuri create Kenji in the first place? He must have realized how dangerous he was."

"Mayuri wasn't the one who actually created him. Besides, no one knew the Soul Candies would be this way until the project was already started. Once they realized how dangerous they were, they decided to terminate the project."

"Kinda late now, don't you think?"

Rukia folded her arms. "There's still something I don't get. Mayuri said that all the Soul Candies were sealed away in the lab and that they couldn't move in their original forms. They need a host in order to move. So how did Kenji get out of the lab? No one knows that."

"Even Mayuri was asking questions but Kenji didn't give him an answer." Renji shrugged. "He could have been lying."

"I don't think so," said Uryu. "From what I've seen and what I've heard, Kenji cannot lie. Either he doesn't know how or he's incapable. So far, everything he's said has been true. He's been true to his word. Never once did he ever say that he was on our side and he always said he was only looking out for himself. All truthful statements."

"And remember what he said?" said Orihime. "He said that he doesn't remember being in the Soul Society. When he was attached to a host, he was in the World of the Living."

"That's true." Renji put a hand to his chin. "Which doesn't make any sense. If he was sealed in the lab, how did he get all the way to the World of the Living? Especially if he can't move in his candy form. He would have needed a host in order to leave the lab. But if he only remembers being in the World of the Living, then that means someone must have brought him there from the lab."

"And he said that the people who were with him were Miku and the man with the doll. They're the only ones involved."

"Which makes even less sense," said Renji. "That would mean that one of them must have taken Kenji from the lab. Miku can change his form, sure, but he can't transport himself from world to world. Can he?"

"A human can't do something like that," said Rukia. "But what about the other man? The one with the doll? He might have that ability. It's doubtful, but it would make more sense than Miku…"

"They could have come with us," said Renji. "Miku could have transformed himself into one of us and…"

"Then what about the man with the doll? Surely, we would have noticed. Besides, everyone's here who should be."

"Then how'd they get here? How did Miku get to the Soul Society and back to the World of the Living? This doesn't make any sense."

"And even if he was transformed, how did Miku know about Kenji in the first place?" asked Rukia. "How did he know where to look?"

There were plenty of things Ichigo did not understand and even more things he wanted answers for. Every time they were getting closer to a solution, more questions were raised. They had more questions than answers and Yuzu was still in danger.

He realized that his friends had a point when they spoke with him before. The advice was meant to help him, but not always in the way they intended. True, he needed to calm down and form a plan, and he certainly needed to control his emotions so he could think and not go berserk. However, it also allowed him to think with more clarity and realize that in order to improve their situation, they needed their questions answered. By learning more about their enemy, they could stand a better chance of winning.

Ichigo hadn't cared about answers as long as he could rescue Yuzu, but now he knew he could only rescue her if he had answers. That's why they were losing. They didn't know who they were fighting. They witnessed how the enemy fought, but that wasn't enough. They needed to know more.

Ichigo stood up from the bed and marched out of the room. He ignored his friends calling after him and kept going.

By getting answers, he would get stronger. He had to know what he was fighting. They might have had a weakness no one knew about. He had to learn more about his enemy.

The only place he could get answers on at least one of them was in Mayuri's lab.

Despite everyone calling after him and ordering him to get back to the sickbay, he did not stop until he reached the lab. He let himself in, calling for the Captain.

"Mayuri! I got questions!"

"Keep your voice down, I hear you. What?" Mayuri popped his head out from behind a tall stack of files.

"I came here to ask you about Kenji. What can you tell me about him?"

Mayuri rested his chin on his hand, almost smugly. "I thought you were chummy with that creature. Why don't you tell me?"

"I know some but not a lot. I need you to tell me more. All that you can." There was no time to waste. He had to find out as much as he could as quickly as possible.

"Very well." Mayuri stood up and brought Ichigo to a different room.

Ichigo walked past numerous shelves and tables. He stopped when Mayuri did and waited for him to say something. Instead, Mayuri changed directions and led him to another part of the lab. This area looked a lot more like a torture dungeon than a laboratory. There were chains dangling from the ceiling and tools on tables and stains on the walls and floor. Ichigo felt his sandals sticking to the ground as he walked closer to the dented file cabinets and metals shelves.

Mayuri stopped and gestured to the room. "This is where we ran the majority of the tests. I was not a witness to most of what went on, but I read the reports and heard from the lab techs involved."

Ichigo looked around. "What kind of tests?" he asked.

"Along that wall," Mayuri said pointing, "we tested their strength. We watched how well they took orders and how durable they were."

Ichigo felt a chill run down his spine as he looked at the dark stains and felt his feet stick to the floor. Were those stains dried blood? The floor, too? What happened here? How were they testing their durability?

"Each Soul Candy starts out the same, except for these ones. Regular Soul Candies are round and in pill form. These ones were designed to stick to the outside of the body rather than be swallowed, so these were not in pill form, but rather in gummy form. They squished and bounced right back. The same rules applied though. They could not move while in that form. In order to test them properly, we attached them to several Gigais."

Mayuri stood in front of the wall, keeping his back to Ichigo.

"For the most part, things were going well. They were strong. We designed them to be able to fight alongside the Soul Reaper in case they found themselves overwhelmed or to be able to defend themselves if they were attacked. We also thought it would be a good idea to use them as disposable fighters in intense battles. Have the enemy waste firepower on them and then send in the real Soul Reapers once the enemy grew tired. Perhaps, that's where it went wrong."

"Went wrong?"

Mayuri nodded. "We wanted the Soul Candies to be able to learn, that way they could fight in battle. We also wanted them to be information gatherers, so they could warn the Soul Reaper of new dangers and to improve in the heat of battle. Otherwise, they would be swinging wildly. You can't program something to fight and have it not learn at the same time. That's impossible. No one uses the same exact move over and over again in a real fight, so the Soul Candy would have to be able to learn in order to fight properly. To correct itself and change its style if that's what the situation calls for. They were smart. They could learn. However, we never intended for them to be self-aware."

"How do you mean exactly?" Ichigo asked him.

"Apparently, the Soul Candies were smarter than we anticipated. And this is where the self-aware thing takes part. In the beginning, the Soul Candies we tested were obedient. They asked questions and understood our language. However, once they learned that we intended to sacrifice them, they became defensive. They had also witnessed during the durability tests that they would be killed or injured severely. They didn't take kindly to that and rebelled. They had a will to live, which is something we had not intended."

Ichigo looked at the wall Mayuri was staring at. "So… That's when they attacked? Then this is..?"

"Correct. These stains are the remains of the Soul Reapers who were cut down during that struggle. That was also how we learned that the Soul Candies could not be removed by force. When they latched on to living Soul Reapers and we tried to remove them… Yes, it killed the Soul Reaper. Thankfully, we only activated a few at a time for testing. No more than four during the trails."

"I see."

Mayuri turned around. "I was not present to witness it, but I know it was gruesome. That was when we were given the order to terminate the project. The lab was about to, when word of Captains turning into Hollows stopped the process and soon the Soul Candies were forgotten. Until recently. They were all destroyed except for Kenji. He's the only one remaining."

"And after what happened in the lab, it's no wonder the Head Captain has made Kenji his top priority."

"The Soul Candies knew they needed a host in order to move and defend themselves. They will not give it up so easily. When they saw we intended to kill them for the sake of our tests, they defended themselves. They did not want to die. They tried to escape."

"How'd you stop them?" Ichigo asked.

"They're exposed. Only partially, but they are." Mayuri gestured to the back of his neck. "Half remains on the surface, the other half burrows beneath the skin to seize control of the body through the spinal cord. This gives them control over the whole body, allowing them to move and speak. But the body is not theirs. It's only a puppet. If you attack the Soul Candy's body, you can kill it. However, since it's so close to the brain stem and is still attached to the spine, doing so is extremely dangerous. The best way we could kill them was to hack through the host. No more host, no more Soul Candy."

Ichigo stepped away from Mayuri. "You guys killed your own men in order to stop them?"

"Not all of them. It was madness, anyway. Like I said, I was not involved. The Soul Reapers taken over by the Soul Candies would have died anyway. We couldn't detach the Soul Candy without killing the host. Those we placed on Soul Reapers for some of the tests didn't want to give control back to the Soul Reaper and tried to escape in their bodies, using it as their own. Others attached themselves during the struggle, using the Soul Reaper as a host and a hostage. We wouldn't let them leave, so they fought back. And the Soul Candies slashed through everything. It was the only option."

Ichigo leaned against a table in disbelief. They actually killed their own men just to stop the Soul Candies. Looking around, he realized that the Soul Reapers back then probably didn't have a choice. They were being killed by their own people. If the Soul Candies could not be removed, what choice did they have? To them, their allies were probably dead already. If they hadn't taken action, they all would have been killed. The Soul Candies might have killed many more on their way to freedom.

He probably shouldn't judge them too harshly. He wasn't there. He didn't witness the bloodshed. He had seen what one Soul Candy could do, but these lab techs had to battle against three or four. Ichigo was glad he didn't have to take on such a responsibility. He was glad he wasn't there.

"Ok." Ichigo stood up. "Other than the blades, what else can they do? I saw Kenji move from one host to another. You said they can't move on their own without a host."

"Ah, yes. That." Mayuri wagged his finger in the air. "Yes, that was a discovery. We found out that once they are attached to their first host, they are 'activated' which means that afterwards they are able to move to a new host in order to survive. They can't do that in their candy form."

"What does that mean?"

"It means once they are activated, they cannot go back to their original form. They must remain latched to a host otherwise they'll die. That's why these Soul Candies are one use only."

"Which means… that Kenji…"

"Correct. He can never revert to his Soul Candy form. He must have a host from this point on or he'll die. Which is good news for you. If you destroy his Gigai, he cannot survive. He'll be dead unless he can get to a new one. Which will be difficult considering that they can only travel a short distance in order to get a new host if their current one is badly damaged."

"How far can they move?"

"From host to host? Hmm… According to the records, no more than a few feet. As long as you're at least a yard away, maybe five feet, he won't be able to transfer. His body will harden and he'll turn to sand."

"Harden?"

"Yes. According to the documentation, they slither on the ground like slugs, getting slower the further they travel from the host. Then the stop moving, their bodies harden and they crumble into sand. As long as they remain a few feet away when you destroy his Gigai, he won't be able to attach to anyone else and he'll die."

"Ok, that explains a few things. But isn't destroying a Gigai harder than killing a human body?"

"True, they don't require the same things and they are slightly more durable."

"Hang on a sec," Ichigo said waving his hands. "Kisuke said that Kenji wouldn't need to eat or sleep in a Gigai, which made it ideal for him, but I've seen Soul Reapers eat even while in a Gigai, so what's up with that?"

"Well, that's because a Soul Reaper is operating it. Soul Reapers need to eat. Soul Candies like Kenji do not unless it's what their host needs. A Gigai does not need to eat to sustain itself. That's why Kenji needed to eat while in a living human body and why he didn't have to while in a human corpse."

"Ok…"

Mayuri looked Ichigo in the eye. "I know you're trying to find his weakness so you can fight him. I told you his weakness. Destroy the Gigai. Then Kenji cannot move. You can also stab him where he's exposed, so do that after he is immobile. That's the fastest way to do it."

"The fastest? You mean there's another way?"

He shrugged. "It's a waiting game. Since the project was terminated, we don't know how long the Soul Candies will last after they've been activated. They're made from slightly different materials for the most part. It's possible that Kenji won't survive that long anyway, even with a host."

"How long?"

"How long does he have? I can't tell you since we never tested that."

"Then your best guess?"

Mayuri sighed. "Uh… I'd say about a month, maybe."

"Well, we can't wait a month, so we'll have to destroy his body."

Mayuri walked closer to him. "Your reasons for killing him are different, aren't they?"

"What do you mean?"

"Before you were practically begging for me to keep him alive. You said it was because he could help you, but I know the truth. You were grasping at straws. You just didn't want to see him die. You pitied him."

"I…"

"But now that he's joined Miku's group and attacked your friends and prevented you from getting your sister back, now you want him dead. You're angry at him." Mayuri moved around a table, getting closer to the exit. "Which is different from our reason. We just want him dead because he's a threat. It has nothing to do with anger."

Ichigo was too stunned to follow Mayuri to the door. He hadn't considered such a thing.

Was he only trying to kill Kenji because he betrayed them? Was it just out of anger?

Ichigo knew Kenji could be threatening. He even attacked Rukia and Renji in front of Ichigo. Even after that, Ichigo still protected him. He defended him and reasoned with the Soul Reapers so that he could live a little longer.

But why?

Was it just because Ichigo was a thoughtful person? Was it because he thought it was unfair to kill someone who couldn't help what they were? Was it out of pity?

Why didn't he want Kenji to die?

More importantly, why did he want to kill him now?

It was out of anger, wasn't it? Even after seeing him attack his friends, Ichigo didn't want to kill him. It wasn't that he was just seeing Kenji as a threat for the first time. It was something else. It must have been anger.

Ichigo had to reflect on this for a while. Part of him wondered if his sudden change of heart was a sign of him losing a piece of his humanity. That would have been awful. If it was rage, then he needed to calm down before he acted on something he would end up regretting.

* * *

Please review! ^-^


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16:**

Ichigo managed to sleep though part of the night, but only part of it. He remained awake, wondering what was going to happen tomorrow. How his sister was doing and what they were going to do about Kenji. He wondered why Miku had taken Yuzu. He still didn't have an answer for that.

If he had an answer, perhaps they could win. He needed to understand. He believed that would give him an edge.

"Can't sleep?" Uryu asked from the bed next to him.

"I did for a little bit. Now I'm up."

"Before dawn, I see. Me, too. I probably got more sleep than you did, though."

"Probably."

Uryu rolled over to face him. "What did you ask Mayuri about?"

"I wanted to learn more about Kenji and his kind."

"You wanted to know why he joined the enemy? I thought it was obvious. Everyone's saying how predictable it was and yet they're still angry about it."

"I just wanted to learn more about him so I could fight him."

"Did you get answers?"

Ichigo rolled onto his back. "I thought I did, but now…"

"You have more questions."

"Yeah." Ichigo sighed. "I'm also questioning myself. So far, my only motive for killing Kenji is out of anger. I didn't want to kill him before."

"Why?"

"I don't know. Maybe it is out of pity."

"It's not more than that?"

Ichigo thought about it. "Maybe… Maybe it's more than that. I mean, when I learned what he was, I did feel bad for him. When he attacked Rukia and Renji, I saw what he could do, but I didn't attack him. I talked to him."

"Why'd you do that? Anyone else would have attacked."

"Because I knew it would escalate things. I knew he only attacked because he felt threatened. If I attacked him, then he would have done worse. By talking to him, I got him to stop."

"And because you got him to stop, he worked with us. He was able to help us discover that Miku could change forms. I don't think we would have figured that out without him. Miku would probably keep changing his forms to throw us off. He only revealed the truth when Kenji called him out in front of everyone."

"True. He did help us."

"Which wouldn't have happened if you hadn't done what you did." Uryu rolled onto his back, facing the ceiling. "We have so many questions and very few answers. Kenji is a mystery and yet he's the one I don't question that much. His actions and reasoning are pretty clear, aren't they?"

Ichigo nodded. "You're right. Now that you mention it, you're right. I know exactly why Kenji attacked. Why he attacked every time. He felt threatened. He even told us that he joined Miku because he didn't feel safe with us anymore. Kenji's not a bad guy. He's not doing anything intentionally bad. Which means he's not really an enemy."

"Other people would disagree, but I think you have a point. Kenji explained his motivation. He's been pretty honest with us."

"It'll be hard to fight him, so maybe we can reason with him. I did it before."

"Yeah, but it'll be just as hard as actually fighting him."

"Maybe, but…"

"But you still don't want to kill him. You thought you did, but now you don't. Right?"

Ichigo nodded and turned his head to the side to look at Uryu. "Yeah. Kenji just wants to live. He was thrown into a world he knows nothing about after being created for a purpose he never asked for. Yeah, part of me pities him, but another part of me doesn't."

"Even Orihime thought he was misunderstood. Until he joined Miku. I don't know what she thinks now. She still doesn't understand why he did it."

"Kenji's following his basic instinct. He doesn't understand why people do the things they do. Why people care about each other and why we would put ourselves in harm's way for each other."

Uryu turned his head to the side, looking at him in the dim light. "Can you make him understand those things?"

"I was trying."

Uryu looked away. "Then keep trying."

Uryu sat up in bed, squinting in the light streaming in through the gaps in the curtains. The sun had risen and a new day had begun.

* * *

It was decided that two groups would head out at different times in order to overwhelm Miku's group. Ichigo along with Renji, Hisagi and several other Soul Reapers would make up the first group. Rukia, Orihime, Uryu and a few other Soul Reapers would be in the second. The second group would arrive shortly after the first, hoping that Miku would see the first group and assume that was it, just like before. So far, he was only attacked by one group at a time, therefore he would not expect a second. The plan was for the first group to exhaust the enemy. Even if Miku's group ended up taking down the first group, they would have been weakened, allowing the second group to take them by surprise when they had little energy to fight back.

Orihime wanted to be in the first group in order to help the injured, knowing that Kenji would be able to do massive damage. They were able to talk her out of it, telling her that Miku and Kenji would both target her first, knowing her abilities. They knew to take out the healer so the others could not recover. If she arrived with the second group, she could heal the injured then. She reluctantly agreed.

"We got this," Renji told Ichigo. "Don't worry about a thing."

"I'm not worried."

"Could have fooled me." Renji grew serious. "We'll send as many as it takes to get her back and stop these guys. You know we will."

They returned to the gathering of trees, knowing the enemy would be there. When they arrived, they found Miku's group gathered under the branches, surrounding Yuzu's body. Miku had two beakers in hand, mixing something. A box sat beside him, containing mysteries. Kenji crouched beside him, waiting. The man with the doll knelt above Yuzu, doll in his lap.

Ichigo noticed that the man with the doll held something else. In his left hand was an apple. He wasn't eating it. While balancing the doll on his knees, the man reached for one of Miku's knives.

Miku put his hand gently on top of the man's, lowering it. He gave the man a gentle look, shaking his head. "Save the apple for later. Cut it then."

The man pulled his hand back, looking at Yuzu with sad eyes. Then he put the apple into his pocket.

Was he trying to cut the apple for Yuzu? Was he trying to feed her?

Kenji looked to the side. "Several Soul Reapers are here. I sense a fight."

"It's unavoidable," said Miku, standing. "Are you going to help or will you stay with the girl?"

The question was directed to the man with the doll who held it close and hovered over Yuzu.

"Don't even know why I asked." Miku faced the assembled Soul Reapers and smirked. "Back so soon? Hope you got some rest last night. We've been pretty busy."

"Step away from the girl," said Hisagi. "We don't want to kill you."

"That is an incorrect statement, depending on who you are speaking to," said Kenji. "You intend to kill me. That is certain. I assume you are referring to Miku, the human."

"Oh, shut up."

Kenji's fate was unavoidable. He thought he could live longer being with Miku, but considering the situation, he was no safer than he was with the Soul Reapers.

Miku stepped to the side, moving further from Kenji. As soon as he saw the Soul Reapers flinch, he broke into a sprint. Knife in each hand, he dashed between them, cutting everyone he passed. Several men sustained deep wounds, but remained standing. Miku stopped, changed direction, and zipped between them again.

Ichigo looked at Kenji who had yet to attack.

"What was the point in you joining them?" Ichigo asked him. "To side with Miku's group?"

"I have already explained my logic."

"But you being on their side makes you an enemy now. Don't you see that we're going to attack you since you're with them?"

"Whether I side with them or not makes no difference to the Soul Reapers. Even if I remained allied with you, they still would have killed me in the end. Miku might try to kill me if I choose to fight by your side, however, he will not attack me if I join him. He has no intention nor reason to kill me once the battle is over. Ally or not, the Soul Reapers would kill me, whereas Miku would only take such action if I attack him as an enemy."

"I see, but…" Ichigo shook his head. "There's another way."

"I do not see one. Unless I go off on my own, but this seems more beneficial. I wish to remain alive. Based on my analysis, I stand a better chance taking this route."

"But do you see us as an enemy?" Ichigo asked him. "You only joined Miku because you thought it would help you stay alive longer, right? It's not because you want to help him. You only want to help yourself. That's what you said, right?"

"That is correct."

"But do you see us as an enemy?" he asked again. "You didn't attack before because you did not see Miku as an enemy. Do you see us as one?"

Kenji did not answer right away. It looked like he was giving the question serious thought.

He was about to answer when Renji came at him swinging. Kenji blocked with two blades from his back and turned his head to look at the redheaded Soul Reaper. More Soul Reapers had come to help Renji fight. Kenji unleashed another blade from his spine and threw it at them, slicing their bodies. Renji used his Zanpakuto as a shield, wrapping it around himself and the other men. Kenji watched Renji protect his fellow Soul Reapers with a calm expression.

Ichigo turned his head and saw Miku coming after him. Ichigo stood his ground and blocked both knives with his sword. Miku's weapons screeching against the larger blade but they could not move the sword.

Their weapons locked, the two of them stepped to the side, walking in a circle. They stopped, pushing metal against metal.

So many questions left unanswered. He understood Kenji's motivation, but not Miku's. He still didn't understand why he took Yuzu. He didn't understand him.

"You never give up, do you?" asked Miku. "Just accept that you've lost and go. You've already lost, how many times? Or do you consider those a draw? The first battle I clearly won, though. The one at your place. Is this a getting even thing? I should tell you, I'm a sore loser. You might want to consider that before you go any further."

He liked to run his mouth. He wanted to fluster his opponent. That was part of Miku's style.

Ichigo wasn't going to let Miku get in his head. He wasn't going to lose control of his emotions.

"You can't beat me, Ichigo. I've been fighting my whole life. It was only a few years ago that I discovered that I could change my form. It came in handy, I'll tell you. I disguised myself as someone else, did whatever I had to do, then changed back. I let them take the blame for me. You should have seen the looks on their faces. How they begged and pleaded and said they had no idea what anyone was talking about but nobody believed them. It was hilarious. But don't get too upset. I only did that to the people who deserved it. I never hurt an innocent person."

"Never hurt an innocent person, huh?"

"Of course not," said Miku. "Mostly gang members. I tried telling the cops, but they never had enough to put them away or even to have them look like they were at fault. The gangs were too smart. So I transformed into one of the gang members, usually the one most at fault, did something in front of the cop, then took off. I changed back into myself and the gang member was led away in cuffs. It was great."

"Because they hurt you in some way, right?"

Miku nodded. "Yeah. But not just me. I did this for other people, too. Like the old lady on my street. Her house was vandalized. I saw the guys who did it run off, but the cops never did anything. I had them put away for something else. Now the old lady doesn't have to worry about them anymore. See? I'm a nice guy once you get to know me."

"A nice guy, huh?"

Both looked to the side and saw Hisagi come at Miku with a sword. Ichigo and Miku broke away from each other, letting the sword slice the air between them.

"For a nice guy, you sure like to hurt my men a lot," Hisagi told him.

"You guys are attacking me. I have a right to defend myself, don't I?"

"And who do you think started it?" Hisagi swung at Miku's shoulder, never intending to injure him. The attack was only to scare. However, Miku's attack was meant to cause damage. Hisagi jumped back when he saw the knives coming at his chest.

Miku stepped forward, causing Hisagi to move backwards. Hisagi blocked all of Miku's attacks, but he couldn't launch any himself. Miku was too fast for him.

Seeing the attack move away from him, Ichigo took this opportunity to see how Renji was fairing. He had done a decent job so far of avoiding being hit, but the same couldn't be said for the other Soul Reapers. Several had climbed over Renji's sword in order to attack Kenji, leaving them wide open.

Despite his warnings, they moved in from all sides, thinking Kenji wouldn't be able to hit all of them at once. They were horribly mistaken. Kenji used his flexible blades to strike from all sides. Using them as whips, Kenji took wide, quick swings at all of them, cutting off limbs and causing deep gashes to appear on their bodies.

The men who weren't taking part in the battle moved closer to where Yuzu lay. Three men moved in, swords raised, to kill the man and save the girl.

The man saw them coming and threw himself over Yuzu. He held her shoulders tightly, protecting her head with his own. He wasn't trying to get closer to the hostage in order to protect himself. He was protecting her. The men didn't see it this way and attacked.

Worried they might kill her by accident, Ichigo ran to intervene.

Miku had the same idea and abandoned his fight with Hisagi in order to protect his partner. Miku threw himself between them and attacked the Soul Reapers. In a flash, he elbowed one in the ribs, stabbed another with one knife and sliced the arm of the third.

The man with the doll looked up, his eyes wide with fear. Seeing Miku defend him, the man picked up Yuzu to move her to a safer place.

The Soul Reapers tried to stop him but Miku wouldn't let them. He moved closer to them, knives at his sides. When two of the men tried to attack, Miku only had to turn his body slightly in order to avoid being hit and have the Soul Reapers attack each other. The third tried to stab Miku as he moved aside, but Miku used one of his knives to guide the Soul Reaper's sword into the back of another.

Watching him fight at a distance, Ichigo could see how he managed to fight a group of people while being outnumbered. He used their strength and attacks against them. His blades were much smaller than the blade of a typical Zanpakuto, allowing him to moved nimbly around them. His reach might not have been as long as theirs, but it allowed him to get closer to his opponent. Knowing a Soul Reaper would take longer to maneuver a long sword, his used his shorter blades to block attacks and take less time to attack them directly. The other advantage of using the knives was that they allowed him to direct their weapons as easily as he could if he had a hold of them but without actually injuring his hands. He was also able to use one in each hand whereas the Soul Reapers needed to swing their swords with both in order to have more strength being their swings.

Miku purposely moved closer, letting the attacking swords get tangled as the Soul Reapers tried to attack in closer quarters at the same time. He spun around, using his arms like windmills to cuts them multiple times before jumping away. He zipped between them, stabbing as he went by. Meanwhile, the Soul Reapers struggled to keep up with Miku's speed while keeping their long swords under control. In order to keep from hitting each other, they had to back up, but Miku used the space between them to move and hide in. When they spotted him, they attacked, coming dangerously close to hitting each other.

Miku used all of this to his advantage. More manpower wasn't going to work against him. He was used to fighting large numbers to people at once. He knew all the tricks.

Thinking they could foil his plan, the Soul Reapers spread out, but now none of them could reach him if he ran by. Not without moving closer, but if they all moved at the same time, they would hit each other again. Their best bet was to attack one at a time, but Miku was too agile. They had to attack at once.

Miku made things even more difficult when he transformed into one of them. Now they couldn't tell which was the real one. The twins insisted they were the real one. They attacked each other, making it even harder for the other two to help since they didn't know which one to defend. The matter was only settled when Miku changed back after stabbing the real one then attacked the other two. All three went down, sustaining a lot of damage from the combined attacks. Miku commended them for standing for as long as they did.

Ichigo looked from left to right. On his right was Kenji who attacked Renji and Hisagi along with the remaining Soul Reapers. On his left was his sister being cradled by the man with the doll. He had stopped running and had set Yuzu down, staying by her side should anything happen.

He could help his friends fight Kenji, but Yuzu was right there. Miku was in front of him and would no doubt come to defend her and the man should Ichigo try. They had to focus on taking one enemy down at a time. That had been their mistake. They kept trying to reach Yuzu before the enemy was defeated. This was a situation where they couldn't save the hostage fist and needed to take down the enemy before anything else.

Ichigo rushed forward, sword held above his right shoulder. He had to take Miku down first.

Miku saw the direct attack and ran to greet his new opponent. They clashed blades, sending sparks into the air. Miku used both knives to block, holding them crossed against Ichigo's large sword.

"You keep trying, don't you?" Miku taunted him with a smile. "I don't see why you bother. I've taken down so many Soul Reapers already."

Why was he fighting? Why did he take Yuzu? Ichigo still needed these questions answered.

"Why?"

Miku raised his brow. "Huh? Why what?"

"Why Yuzu?" Ichigo asked through his teeth, but there was no malice in his voice. He just wanted to understand. "Why did you take my sister? Why are you doing this?"

Miku's face softened slightly. "Why?"

He stared at Ichigo for what felt like an hour. It was as if he was trying to read Ichigo's mind, to see if this was a trick. Miku's eyebrows lifted, his face relaxing.

"I supposed you deserve to know," he said softly. "After all, it was your sister we took. I owe you that much."

Their blades remained together, but neither was putting any strength behind them. The weapons were only touching. Neither was willing to fight while an explanation was given.

"Everything I do…" Miku looked over his shoulder at the man with the doll, "… is for him."

Ichigo followed his gaze to the man kneeling over Yuzu. Every time something crashed or was sent through the air, he flinched and leaned over her body, as if to block anything that came their way.

"For him? The man with the doll?" Ichigo questioned.

Did this mean that Miku wasn't the one in charge? Was he answering to that man? He was doing all this for the man with the doll?

"His name is Nikko," answered Miku. "He told me that was his name."

He had finally been named. "Nikko…"

"That poor guy." Miku's voice had lost its mocking tone. Though he was still smiling, it was a sad smile. "He has a rather sad past. He told me all about it. It's tragic, what happened to him."

Ichigo looked from Nikko back to Miku, wanting to hear the explanation. He wanted to know why they were doing this.

"It really is a tragic story. That poor Nikko…"

Miku kept his eyes on Nikko as he spoke of his sad story.

"His parents went through divorce when he was still young, each taking a child with them. Nikko had only one sibling. A little sister."

Ichigo's heart skipped a beat. "A little sister?"

"That's right. They were very close. The divorce was hard on her. She loved her brother so. In order to help her cope with her sadness and loneliness, she was given a doll. The doll and her shared the same hair and even had a kimono that matched the one she wore to festivals. She took that doll with her everywhere. She was never without it. During visits, she'd bring it, brightening up the second she saw her brother. He told me how she carried it in one arm while she held his hand with the other."

Miku sighed, his smile fading.

"One night, during a visit, there was a tragic accident. When Nikko came to, he looked around for his sister but couldn't find her. All he could find was her beloved doll and a chain in his chest. He took it with him and called her name for hours, but she never answered. He spread his search, wandering the streets, calling her name until he could barely speak. Not long after, a Soul Reaper appeared and performed a konso on him. He begged the Soul Reaper to wait until he found his sister for he could not leave without her, but the Soul Reaper did not listen and performed it anyway, sending him to this world."

Ichigo could only imagine how Nikko must have felt in those moments. A konso was supposed to send a soul off to the next world peacefully, but for Nikko it must have been anything but peaceful. He must have been angry and scared that he was being sent against his will to a new world without his sister by his side.

"From the moment he arrived, he searched for her, asking anyone who would listen if they had seen her. He had hoped perhaps his sister was sent here before him and that was why he could not find her in the other world. Sadly, she was nowhere in the village. No one had seen her. At least, that's what he heard from the people who answered him. Most didn't care and ignored him. He left the village and went to another. He moved from district to district, searching endlessly for his little sister. He did this for years, getting more and more discouraged."

Miku lowered his weapons, letting his arms rest at his sides. Ichigo lowered his sword as well.

"The poor guy just wants to find her, but there's little anyone can do. He's a mere shell of himself now," Miku said sadly. From the way he spoke, Ichigo could tell that Miku really cared for Nikko. "All he has left of his sister is that doll. Since it shares her hair style and kimono, he would show the doll to the people he spoke to, asking if they had seen a girl who looked similar. It wasn't made in her likeness. They merely found one that looked similar enough."

Miku lowered his gaze, staring at the ground with sad eyes. They were almost as sad as Nikko's.

Now Ichigo understood why. Nikko always looked sad because he was without his sister.

"The doll reminds him of her. It's all he has to remember her by. That's why he keeps it with him. On the off chance he finds her again, he wants to return it to her. Everyone's losing hope that that will ever happen, so I believe he wants to keep it so he has something of hers. That's what I believe, at least."

Miku looked back at Ichigo.

"I met him not too long ago. Only a few days, I guess. After hearing his story, I wanted to help him. At first, I thought his sadness was annoying. Who likes a sad-sack, right? But when I learned more about him, I realized that he needed help. He's been alone for some time, endlessly searching for his sister. I think even he's losing hope by now. He still doesn't know what happened to her. I felt compelled to help him. I just wanted to make him happy again. Just give him something, you know?"

Ichigo let the tip of his sword rest on the ground. Now he knew a bit more about their group, but he still didn't know the answer to his biggest question.

"Why Yuzu?"

Miku gave him an innocent grin. "Because she looks similar."

"What?" Ichigo's brain was lagging. He heard what Miku said but his mind was still trying to make sense of it.

"Just like the doll, your sister isn't an exact match to Nikko's sister, but she's close enough with the body type and hair style. It's even the same color. Different eyes and face, but we can work around that." Miku's smile started to spread. "I may not be able to do anything about finding his real sister, but I can find him a suitable replacement."

"Replacement?"

"Yup. I plan on replacing his sister with yours. This way, he won't be lonely anymore." He glanced at Nikko again. "I know he misses the touch of human flesh. That doll can only offer him so much. I could transform into her, but being coddled by him is something I do want to put up with for the rest of my life and I can only hold a form for so long. He's a nice guy and all, but I'd rather not have to hold his hand and be carried forever.

Ichigo's mind finally caught up to what was happening. "You want to replace his sister with mine? That's not happening."

"Oh?" Miku looked back at him. "I realize there are issues, but that's part of the reason why I had you gather that stuff for me from the lab. I'm sure your sister can't last in this world forever. She's not meant to be here yet. There are other problems, too, which is why I decided to conduct some experiments on her. I can make her last a long time. She's practically be a living doll. I can make her more like Nikko's real sister. I'll work with what I've got and make her even better."

Experiments? What did Miku have planned for Yuzu? What was he going to do to her?

"You can't do this," Ichigo said angrily. "You can't have Yuzu!"

Miku faced Ichigo with a frown which soon spread into a mocking grin. "Oh? Aren't we being a bit selfish and greedy?"

He took a fighting stance, getting ready to go another round with Ichigo.

"You have two sisters, whereas Nikko has none. He lost his, but you still have two. Surely, you can spare one of them."

* * *

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	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17:**

"Come on, you have another one. You can spare one of them, can't you, Ichigo?"

Tragic story or not, Miku wasn't giving Yuzu to Nikko. Ichigo wouldn't allow it.

He swung his sword at Miku's head which was blocked by both knives.

He felt sorry for Nikko. He even pitied him, but Ichigo wasn't about to give up one of his family members for him.

Ichigo and Miku clashed blades again and again. Miku stepped back while Ichigo advanced. Miku deflected all of Ichigo's swings, skillfully swatting his sword aside with the knives. Miku wasn't trying to stab Ichigo. He wasn't willing to take that chance yet. His plan was either to tire him out or simply survive until something came along.

In the meantime, both Renji and Hisagi had their hands full with Kenji. No matter what they did, they could not land a hit on the Soul Candy. The thrashing blades from his back prevented them from getting too close. The Soul Reapers they were fighting alongside received numerous injuries. Most were not fatal but they had been weakened, giving Kenji a better chance of defeating them.

Seeing as he had no choice, Hisagi unleashed the power of his Zanpakuto. As soon as Renji heard Hisagi say the release command 'Reap', he got out of the way as quickly as he could.

The transformed sword spun towards Kenji who slapped it out of the air with a tentacle blade. The odd-looking weapon crashed to the ground but a second one traveled in its shadow. Kenji blocked, catching the weapon rather than swat it away.

Hisagi pulled the chain linking to the fallen weapon and pulled it into his hand. He ran at Kenji, swinging it with one hand. Kenji, still holding on to the other weapon watched Hisagi draw closer. As he positioned his tentacles to block, he saw Renji running at him from the opposite direction. Then a third Soul Reaper joined them, and a fourth. They were coming at him from all sides.

Renji counted a total of ten bladed tentacles. Four had a hold of Hisagi's weapon, two were getting ready to block Hisagi, and the other four were preparing to block him since he had the biggest weapon. Kenji didn't have enough tentacles to block the other two Soul Reapers. One of them was bound to land a critical hit on him.

Kenji raised an arm to protect his neck and stepped sideways. The Soul Reaper took a wide swing at Kenji's neck. His sword clanged against Kenji's arm.

"What the hell?"

It sounded like metal on metal.

The Soul Reaper behind Kenji took an overhead swing at the Soul Candy, getting a nasty surprise. Long swords sprouted from Kenji's shoulders, puncturing the Soul Reaper in the chest and stomach.

Kenji spun in a full circle, forcing the Soul Reapers to fall back.

At this distance, they could see what happened. In addition to the bladed tentacles, Kenji also possessed long blades switch spouted from his body like porcupine quills. The blades that stopped the first Soul Reaper's sword protruded from Kenji's forearm. Once he was out of immediate danger, the blade sank back into his borrowed body.

"He has more of those things?" said one of the Soul Reapers in disbelief. "Is his whole body nothing but swords?"

"I didn't expect that."

Kenji saw the injured Soul Reaper in front of him, but did not attack.

Assuming he would, Renji rushed forward. Kenji saw this and got ready to swing. Instead of attacking Kenji, Renji grabbed the Soul Reaper and dragged him to safety.

Kenji's tentacle hung in the air.

Renji did not attack him. He risked his life for the injured Soul Reaper.

He watched curiously as Renji asked the Soul Reaper if he could still speak. The Soul Reaper insisted on continuing the fight but Renji told him not to. He told the Soul Reaper to stay where he was while they attacked in his place.

Renji and Hisagi faced Kenji, ready to continue. Kenji did not attack right away, puzzled by the actions that had just taken place. If he were in their position, there were several things he would have done differently.

For instance, he did not understand why Renji would risk his life to pull an injured man to safety. He could have simply left him there. Kenji was not going to attack him since he did not consider the injured man an immediate threat. Did Renji not consider this or what it something Kenji had not considered?

Hisagi tried to use Kido to hold Kenji in place but it did not work. Kenji had anticipated this and moved too swiftly to be captured. After evading Hisagi, he walked right into Renji's attack. Renji swung his sword and Kenji defended himself. Hisagi moved behind Kenji and tried to strike.

Kenji glanced at the weapon aimed for his back and moved accordingly. Renji's sword was coming his direction again. They were both relentless. If this kept up, Kenji might sustain an injury. If he became injured, he would not be able to evade correctly, standing a greater chance of being killed.

Understanding this, Kenji used a different move.

Hisagi struck at his back while Renji struck at his front. Kenji knocked the weapon from Hisagi's hand and used his tentacle to wrap around Hisagi's neck. The blade did not touch Hisagi but there was a bigger issue. Instead of being cut, he would be strangled.

In order to save his friend, Renji aimed carefully at the tentacle.

Kenji quickly pulled Hisagi in front of him, using the man as a shield.

Renji's attack had already built up momentum. He would not be able to stop in time. To keep from cutting Hisagi in half, Renji snapped his sword in another direction, over-correcting. His weapon was pulled taut, stopping just in front of Hisagi's nose and flew backwards as a result of Renji's desperate pulling. The Zanpakuto snapped backwards and landed on the ground with a loud thud.

Seeing Hisagi unharmed, Renji breathed a sigh of relief.

Kenji took note of what happened and was just as puzzled as he was before.

"So," he said to himself, "it is not just Ichigo."

"Huh?" Hisagi choked out, hearing Kenji say something just shy of his ear.

Kenji tossed Hisagi into the air, throwing him into Renji's chest. Renji dropped his weapon in order to catch Hisagi without injuring either one of them.

"Are you ok?" Renji asked.

Hisagi coughed, nodding his head. He was unable to speak but he had to let Renji know he was going to live.

The tentacle returned to Kenji's back, moving slowly.

Before, Renji had stopped just short of hitting Ichigo when Miku used him as a shield. Kenji believed it was because Ichigo was of value, but after seeing Renji do the same thing for another, Kenji was perplexed. Clearly, Ichigo was not a factor. Renji did this for anyone by the look of things. Perhaps Renji was a factor. No. Ichigo had done similar things. So had other Soul Reapers. Nikko had done this as well, but that was because Yuzu was the prize, therefore he had reason to protect her.

What was he missing? The purpose of these actions continued to elude Kenji. He did not understand.

"You do realize that you could have possibly won the battle if you had simply cut through that Soul Reaper, yes?" Kenji told Renji. "Why did you stop?"

"I didn't want to hurt him, dumbass!" Renji snapped.

"Because he is still a useful fighter? He is not so badly injured?"

"Would you shut the hell up, already?" Renji stood, picking up his discarded sword.

Renji didn't care about anything Kenji had to say. As far as he was concerned, Kenji's words were nothing more than pointless ramblings. He may have been trying to distract them so he could look of an opening and attack.

Unlike Ichigo, Renji did not consider Kenji a pitiful creature interested in the world around him. He found Kenji's curiosity incredibly annoying. He didn't even consider it to be curiosity. In actuality, Renji mistook Kenji's curious observations and questions as ridicule. The things Kenji was ignorant of were so obvious to Renji that he felt Kenji was mocking them.

After all, someone as skilled in combat as Kenji could not be stupid.

In reality, Kenji may have known how to fight, but he was ignorant of so many things. Outside of combat, he was inexperienced. He was created to fight and to adapt to different forms of combat. Other than that, he was clueless.

He was never given the chance to actually live outside of battle. For him, everything was about survival. He did not understand the meaning of friendship or self-sacrifice.

He was a creature who was created for the purpose of fighting and had self-preservation. He didn't know much else.

Seeing people live their lives while not in the midst of battle confused and fascinated him. For a creature like Kenji, he simply wanted to understand.

However, he didn't really have much of a chance to do that. Very few tolerated him because they did not understand him. He was supposed to be killed along with the others of his kind. Even now, they were hounding for his blood. He was caught up in battle, something he was breed for, something he understood.

When would he ever get the opportunity to live outside of battle? How was he supposed to experience it when every moment of his life was about survival? When did he have a chance to live?

Hisagi came at him with his Zanpakuto. Kenji evaded. Renji swung his sword which wrapped itself around Kenji's body. He used his blades to keep the sword from getting any closer and jumped out of the sword's coils. He kicked Renji in the face and used the blade in his arm to stab Hisagi in the shoulder as he came close.

This. This is what he understood. This is what had sense to him. This was what he knew.

He was built for combat. He was created to fight.

However, he was originally supposed to be disposable. Yet, his kind had a strong will to live.

In light of this, was it possible that they were capable of so much more? If they were given the ability to adapt, could they adapt to things outside of combat?

Kenji was filled with so many questions. He sought answers, but who would give them to him? Most thought he was a waste of time, since he was supposed to be killed anyway. What would be the point of answering him? Others could not believe he was this ignorant and did not want to waste their time, finding him stupid.

No one wanted to waste their time on him.

"Ahh!" Ichigo fell on his back. Miku jumped in the air and tried to land on his chest. Ichigo rolled out of the way and kicked Miku as he landed on both feet. Knocked off balance, Miku tipped to one side and Ichigo used his sword to slice the area just above the ground.

Miku cartwheeled away, saving his ankles. He flipped through the air and landed in a crouching position.

"What did I say?" Miku asked him. "You got so worked up all of a sudden."

"Screw you!" Ichigo swung at him again.

Miku stood and turned his body to one side, letting the sword pass behind him. "Touchy. I guess I-"

A Soul Reaper came flying out of the air and landed on Miku, pinning him to the ground.

Ichigo looked up and saw Kenji fighting the only two who remained standing: Renji and Hisagi. They were both injured and tired from fighting. Kenji did not look in as bad of shape. He didn't look tired at all. Fighting someone like Kenji was very taxing on both Soul Reapers, despite their strength and skill. Anyone would tire eventually, no matter their power.

Kenji cut into Renji's knee, knocking him over. Renji pressed both hands to his knee to stop the bleeding and to ease the pain. Kenji pulled back, preparing to strike again. Hisagi knelt in front of Renji, his Zanpakuto in both hands, protecting his chest.

Seeing that Kenji was not going to stop, Ichigo ran forward.

Kenji struck. Hisagi tensed up, praying the thin weapon in his hands would be enough to block to attack.

"Stop!" Ichigo threw himself between them, his arms out to either side. "Stop!"

Kenji halted.

The blade hovered just in front of Ichigo's throat. It did not move.

Ichigo walked forward slowly, his arms still out to either side. "Kenji… It's ok. Let's just talk."

Kenji looked at him with a calm expression. He slowly withdrew the blade and let it sink back under his skin.

There was no need to fight Kenji. Kenji was too powerful anyway. Ichigo knew the reason why Kenji switched sides, but if he could get Kenji to change his mind, they might have a better chance at winning this battle. They might even be able to do it faster.

Kenji was not an enemy. He had no reason to fight alongside Miku. He only joined them because Kenji felt he would be safer.

Kenji was a skilled fighter, but Ichigo knew Kenji was also intellectual. He was teeming with questioned and desired answers to satisfy his natural curiosity. He battled with blades and wits. If Ichigo could engage him in conversation and debate with him, he could end up winning a different battle.

Ichigo knew how to fight. He learned from his battles. He learned how each opponent battled. He could also sense how someone was feeling when they clashed blades. He connected to the people he battled against and alongside. He could turn their strength against them. He could talk sense into them and make them see reason. At least, he believed he could.

That was what he had to do with Kenji.

Ichigo wasn't used to fighting with his words, not unless they were verbal threats. He had to appeal to Kenji's curious side and evoke logic. Kenji explained his reasons, but Ichigo knew that logic was flawed. If he could make Kenji see that, there may be a way to reason with him.

Clearly, fighting with blades wasn't going to work against Kenji. Ichigo also had connected with Kenji on some level. He could see that, which gave Ichigo hope.

After all, Kenji had just done something he never would have done before: he halted. He had the opportunity to cut through Ichigo in order to get to his friends, but he didn't. Instead, he stopped just before hitting him. He didn't even try to go around Ichigo to get to them.

This alone gave Ichigo hope.

"Kenji…" Ichigo tried to talk to Kenji as if he were talking to one of the ghost children he had consoled in the past. The ones who were scared and confused. After all, despite what Kenji's body and vocabulary might suggest, he was very much like a child.

Kenji watched him without a word, interested in what he would do.

"Kenji, why are you doing this?" Ichigo asked him. "Why did you go over to their side?"

"As I have explained," he said, "I heard that I would be killed after your sibling is rescued. Therefore, I cannot allow you to succeed. I am doing this for my own security. It is not personal."

"Yeah, I get that. But other than that, you guys don't have any common goals. You don't care about what happens to Yuzu."

"True, I do not. However, if I were to be on my own, the Soul Reapers have made me their top priority. I stand a better chance if I am with a group."

"Yeah, but the group you're with is the one we're targeting. If you stay with them, we'll know where to find you. If you are on your own, away from them…"

"I understand what you are saying, Ichigo, but understand that on my own, I may end up being defeated if enough attack me at once. If I am with a group, I can use them to my advantage. I have also observed how people seem to function in a group. If one is in danger, the others will come to assist them because they are an asset. So long as I serve them, I will be protected."

"Even if you don't share the same goal?"

Kenji nodded. "So long as I serve, I do not think it matters. Besides, once the battle is over, whether they win or lose, they do not have reason to kill me. Just as before when my other host was damaged, they let me roam freely. The Soul Reapers would never allow such a thing for me."

"So that's your only reason to be with Miku's group?"

"For now, yes."

"You're only looking out for yourself, is that right?"

"Yes, that is correct," told him. "My life is the only one that matters to me."

"Then why did you protect me?" Ichigo asked him.

"Because, at the time, I believed you may have been useful. You have been able to convince the Soul Reapers to let me live longer than they desired. I left because I believed your words would no longer carry such weight. I remained untouched because of your words, but also because I had a purpose. Once that purpose is fulfilled, I am no longer necessary."

"I didn't mean then. I meant just now."

Kenji blinked. "What?"

"When I threw myself between you and them. You did not attack me. You stopped. You just said that you believed I wouldn't be able to protect you from the Soul Reapers anymore. That's why you left. So why keep me alive?"

Kenji paused, thinking. "You were not a threat to me. I saw no reason to attack. Just like in this moment. You are not attacking me, therefore, there is no reason for me to attack you."

"But back then," Ichigo told him. "Back when Rukia and Renji came to fetch you. You attacked them and I did the same thing, but with different results. Back then, you were willing to go through me in order to get to them. This time, you stopped. You didn't hurt me at all. The Soul Reapers were a threat to you and injured, just as before. The only difference is that this time you did not attack me even though you could."

Kenji was silent.

"Why do you think that is?" Ichigo pressed. "Why didn't you attack me this time? Why'd you stop?"

Kenji tried to think of a reasonable explanation, but he couldn't. He didn't understand why he didn't. He saw no reason to attack Ichigo this time. But Ichigo was right. The situation back then was the same as it was now. What had changed? Something was different.

If it wasn't the situation, then what was it? What had changed? What was different?

"I think it's you."

Kenji gave Ichigo a puzzled look. "What?"

"I think you're different," Ichigo said to him. "I think you changed."

"How?"

"Maybe it's because you got to spend some time with people and get some experience. I think you're learning."

Kenji was still confused. "I do not see how. So many things still confuse me. I still lack answers."

"Not everything has a tangible answer," Ichigo told him.

"I still do not understand." Kenji glanced at the Soul Reapers behind Ichigo seeing to their wounds. "No matter how many times I see it, I do not understand."

"Understand what?"

Kenji looked back at Ichigo. "The way you rush to protect one another. The disregard for oneself. I can see protecting something of use, but… When someone is injured, they still try to help them, even putting themselves at risk. If they are injured, they are useless. At least, that is what I thought. When a tool is broken, it gets tossed in the garbage. You do not see to do the same thing for each other."

"That's because we're not tools."

"Are you not?" Kenji questioned. "You have unique skills. Each member of the group has some value pertaining to the mission at hand. And yet…"

Kenji looked back at the Soul Reapers. He had seen them perform selfless acts several times. Not just one Soul Reaper, but many.

"Does it really go beyond skill?" Kenji asked. "Is… Is the value of one life so important, it is worth putting oneself at risk? Are they truly that important?"

Kenji sounded like a child asking if what they did was ok. The uncertainty and confusion was very apparent in Kenji's voice.

He truly was innocent.

* * *

It was time for the next group to leave. They were still a few minutes from the location, even if they ran. Orihime expressed her concerns for the first group, hoping they weren't too injured. She had a duty. Knowing this, she tried her best to remain calm so she could perform adequately.

"Do you think they managed on their own?"

"Hard to say. That Soul Candy is going to be difficult to take down."

Orihime looked at the Soul Reaper who said this. "I meant the other one."

"The human? Compared to the Soul Candy, he's nothing to worry about."

"But he's-"

"She's right," said Rukia firmly. "We have to be concerned about the entire group. Not just one individual."

"But the Soul Candy is supposed to be really strong, right?" said the male Soul Reaper. "They're super tough. Shouldn't we focus our attention on him instead of the human?"

"That method of thinking will get you killed," said Byakuya, barely glancing at the Soul Reaper. "Concern yourself with all involved. Not just the one you deem most formidable. It's a costly mistake."

"Yes, sir. Sorry, Captain Kuchiki."

Rukia was pleased Byakuya agreed with her, even if he had a roundabout way of saying it. It saved time on arguing, which was mostly why Byakuya spoke up in the first place. The Soul Reapers would not argue with a Captain.

"I'm still concerned," said Uryu. "About a lot of what's going on. I already brought it up to Ichigo. About the things that were taken from the lab. The items the human wanted."

"I'm worried about that, too," admitted Rukia.

"Yeah, like how Miku even knew about those things in the first place," said Orihime. "He knew exactly where to find them."

"Clearly, he's been in that lab before," said Uryu. "He could have disguised himself as a Soul Reaper and went in there. No one would suspect one of their own, like we said before. That must have been how he got a hold of Kenji in the first place. He took him from the lab. That's how he ended up in their company. But it still bothers me. And it just raises further questions."

"Such as?"

"Such as how he knew about Kenji in the first place," said Rukia. "How did he know about the Soul Candies and where to find them?"

"It's not like the guy's going to tell us," said a Soul Reaper.

"He might," said Uryu. "The guy likes to run his mouth. I think he likes the attention."

"Stay alert," warned Byakuya. "We're almost there."

* * *

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	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18:**

Hisagi watched as Ichigo tried to reason with Kenji. Hisagi knew Ichigo wasn't trying to make Kenji drop his guard in order to attack him. Ichigo wasn't that kind of fighter. It seemed like he was trying to talk Kenji down, convincing him to stop fighting for the enemy. He didn't know how well it would work, but so far Kenji wasn't attacking.

Hisagi looked to the side and saw Miku push the Soul Reaper off his back and get up. He looked from left to right, then saw Ichigo standing with Kenji and reached into his pocket.

Expecting a weapon, Hisagi got up.

Kenji's eyes darted to Hisagi, seeing him gather his weapon. Expecting an attack, Kenji got ready to defend himself.

Ichigo saw something move beneath Kenji's skin toward the surface. Several long, narrow blades poked out of his arm like quills. Something else traveled below the skin and exited his palm. It was a dagger. It seemed like Kenji's body was filled with blades. It wasn't just his spine.

Kenji prepared to attack, then stopped, seeing Hisagi move away from him. He was targeting something else.

Ichigo spun around and saw Hisagi block a knife thrown at Ichigo's head. Miku was trying to attack Ichigo while his back was turned.

Hisagi tossed his weapon at Miku who jumped. Hisagi tossed the other scythe while pulling the chain of the first. Miku grabbed the handle from the first, ducking the second. He pulled and Hisagi pulled. Miku grinned, tossing knives with his free hand. Both scythes out of his grasp, Hisagi could not block. He had no choice but to use his arm.

As he raised his arm to protect his face and neck, Ichigo threw his own sword between them. Miku's knives bounced off the large blade and fell to the ground. Hisagi lowered his arm and watched Ichigo run from Kenji and into Miku.

Miku was lifted off his feet by the tackle, but he still had plenty of fight in him. He held a knife between himself and Ichigo, waiting. As Ichigo slammed Miku into the ground, gravity forced Ichigo's body into the awaiting knife. Ichigo pushed himself away from Miku, but the thinner of the two wouldn't let him. Miku grabbed the front of Ichigo's kimono and held on.

Pulled to his feet with Ichigo's unwilling help, Miku stood his ground and drove the knife in deeper. Ichigo Punched Miku in the face, but it wasn't enough. Miku pulled the knife free and plunged it into Ichigo's stomach again and again.

Hisagi ran to help. He wedged his scythe between them and tried to pry them apart. Miku spun Ichigo around and stabbed him from behind. Ichigo let out a scream.

Renji heard his friend's agonized scream and stood, hobbling over as fast as he could with his one good leg. He whipped his Zanpakuto as close as he could to Miku without actually hitting him. If he had, he would have taken Ichigo with him.

Miku kicked Ichigo into Hisagi and ran after Renji. Ichigo grabbed the back of Miku's shirt, holding him back. Miku twisted away and continued toward Renji. He jumped, planting both feet in Renji's chest. Knocked off balance, Renji fell onto his back and Miku used the momentum of the fall to drive a knife into Renji's chest. He sat on Renji's chest and stabbed him again and again.

Ichigo shoved Hisagi aside, grabbed his sword and swung at Miku's head. Miku ducked, leaning forward. Within reach, Renji grabbed the front of Miku's shirt and held him.

"Now!"

Ichigo prepared to swing again. Miku wasn't going anywhere and if he changed into another loved one, Ichigo would not take the bait. He wasn't falling for the same trick twice.

As Ichigo's sword came at him again, Miku held up his left arm. A blade tore through his sleeve and blocked the sword. Ichigo's swing was enough to knock Miku to one side, but it didn't cut him.

Miku rolled to his feet and stood up, blade held up to protect his chest.

"He had a weapon hidden in his sleeve," Hisagi concluded miserably. "Just what does it take to bring this guy down?"

"Are you even trying to kill me?" Miku asked with a mocking grin. "Or are you just trying to maim me? Can't bring yourself to take a human life, can you?"

Ichigo felt dizzy. He looked at the blood soaking through his clothes. Miku hadn't just stabbed him. Every time he stuck Ichigo with the knife, he made sure to twist it and slice from side to side, making the injury worse. His insides were probably shredded, or at least punctured. He had lost a lot of blood.

Ichigo looked at Renji on the ground. He was in bad shape as well. Hisagi was hurt, too, but his injuries weren't as severe.

If they could just hold out a little bit longer until help arrived…

Kenji stood where he was and watched.

He had observed people before. What they did and how they did it, wondering why. He tried to discover the meaning behind actions. He understood why food was consumed, why people had a fight or flight response, but so many things still eluded him.

What was the meaning behind caring for others? The purpose of self-sacrifice?

He spoke with Ichigo about it in the past. Most of the time, he looked at him as if he had asked a stupid question. Over time, Ichigo slowly began to recognize Kenji's shortcomings. He always answered him earnestly, whether the response was blunt or gentle. Ichigo had always been truthful to him.

Despite this, Kenji still found Ichigo to be a mystery. Ichigo was a man of his word, and yet Kenji still had trouble reading him.

He thought he understood, but now he was starting to second guess his conclusions.

He believed that Ichigo was upset at his valedictory simply because he was losing an ally. Ichigo felt betrayed. This was the conclusion Kenji had arrived at. Ichigo's recent actions caused him to rethink this. Ichigo, rather than try to attack Kenji, chose to speak with him instead. He tried to have another conversation with him. This did not confuse Kenji at first, believing that Ichigo did not wish to fight knowing that he would be defeated easily. Ichigo knew he could not battle Kenji and win. Now Kenji was rethinking this notion.

Had Ichigo not attacked him for another reason? Was it not out of uncertainty of victory? Did it have nothing to do with a difference in strength? Perhaps it was a different conquest?

Kenji knew that Ichigo would not attack him. He did not see him as a threat. Why was this? Kenji originally thought it was because Ichigo was certain that he would lose and would therefore not engage in battle. This no longer appeared to be the case. After all, Ichigo knew he could not win against Miku and yet he still fought him.

There must have been a reason. It must have been something else.

Did Ichigo still consider Kenji to be one of them? An ally?

But why? He left them.

Logic dictated that Ichigo would not fight him because he thought he would lose. Then again, based on what he had seen, Ichigo wasn't very logical. He acted irrationally, risked his life for the sake of others and engaged in battle with foes stronger than himself.

Why did Ichigo not attack him? Why did Kenji not attack Ichigo? He still couldn't figure it out.

Miku panted, staring down the Soul Reapers in front of him. They were injured, but so was he. The blade he bore was wrapped around his injured forearm. The very belts and bandages strapping the weapon to his arm also bound his wound from before.

He didn't want to admit it, but he was getting tired. The Soul Reapers were suffering as well, but if they ganged up on him, there was a chance Miku would not be able to redirect their attacks again.

"Miku."

Ichigo spoke to him calmly.

Miku did not attack. Instead he listened, grateful to have a moment to catch his breath and figure out a plan now that his body was starting to tire.

"My sister…" Ichigo gave him a pleading look. "I know you're doing this for Nikko. You even said that it was out of the kindness of your heart. You said you're doing this because you care about Nikko."

"That's right," Miku admitted. "Like I said, I'm not a heartless guy."

"If that's the case, then have you given any thought to how Yuzu would feel about this?" Ichigo asked him. "You say you want to help Nikko. That you're doing this for him. But what about her? Have you considered her feelings at all?"

Miku blinked, his face losing its mocking grin again.

"She has a sister. A twin. Twins have a connection to each other. If Yuzu never comes home, what will become of her sister? You want Karin to end up like Nikko? Wondering where her sister has gone?" Ichigo took a step forward. "Don't you see? Your actions may help one person but it will hurt another. I took you for a guy who doesn't want to hurt the innocent."

"I don't."

"Karin never did anything to you. You're taking away her twin sister. It'll make her suffer. Please… If not for me, then for her. Don't do this."

If Ichigo could not win in strength, then maybe he could in heart. Perhaps he just needed to talk to Miku like he did Kenji. Maybe he could make him see reason so there would be no need for a fight.

If Miku was really doing this to help another person, then he wasn't really a bad guy. If that was the case. Based on what he had seen, even Ichigo had to admit that Miku came across as malicious.

Even so, Ichigo didn't want the battle to escalate any further. He didn't want the battle to grow more intense, thus, putting Yuzu in more danger. These people were protecting her, but Ichigo had seen too many close calls. If more Soul Reapers showed up, the fighting would get reckless, especially after seeing the injured. Their comrades would be out for blood.

If there was a way to end this peacefully, Ichigo was willing to take it. If there wasn't, he was ready to battle with everything he had. Part of him hoped it wouldn't come to that. Another part wanted an excuse to bash Miku's head in after all he had put him through.

"Please," Ichigo urged him. "Consider her family. What it would mean for them and for her."

Miku gave a soft chuckle, lowering his head slightly. "Changing your tactic, I see. You know you can't win so you're begging for mercy."

"No," Ichigo admitted. "I'm trying to stop this before it goes any further. I'm willing to go all out for my family. I don't want it to come to that."

"Because you don't want to risk her getting hurt, is that it?"

Ichigo nodded his head. "Also, if you're doing this because Nikko misses his own sister and you want to help him, help him by stopping what you're doing. The other Soul Reapers are just going to see him as an enemy. They'll try to kill him, too."

Miku scoffed. "The Soul Reapers…" He chuckled again, lifting his head. "It's the Soul Reaper's fault he's like this in the first place."

"What the hell do you mean?" asked Renji.

"They couldn't have waited until he found his sister," Miku said, gesturing to Nikko with his arm. "He begged and pleaded, but did they listen? No. Instead they sent him here, utterly alone, never knowing what happened to his sister. Did they care? Did they give a crap?"

"He could have turned into a Hollow if they waited too long," Hisagi told him. "They were trying to help him."

"Yeah, right," Miku laughed. "If they cared, they would have helped him find his sister so he wouldn't be like this. They could have stayed with him and helped him look if they were so worried about him turning into a Hollow. They could have done more for him, but no. They didn't care. They just wanted to get him out of their sight. To them, it's just business. They don't care about what the other person wants. What's best for them."

"Believe me," said Hisagi, "Nikko wouldn't want to become a Hollow. He would lose himself and suffer."

"And now he's not?" Miku gestured again. "The guy won't even talk anymore. He's mute. Every day I have to see him with that sad look in his eyes. This hopelessness. Like he's got nothing to live for. Every day it gets worse. This is the most he's woken up since the day I met him. Since he had the courage to tell me his story. And unlike you, I actually tried to help him look. I know we'll never find her since it's been years at this point, but it's the effort that counts. I'm doing something."

"By kidnapping someone else's sister? That's crap," said Renji.

"It's more than you've ever done, believe me. You made him like this. Seriously, you couldn't have waited? Offered him any comfort? Nope. Tap on the forehead and not your problem anymore." Miku scoffed again. "Negligent Soul Reapers."

"We ain't shrinks," Renji argued. "I mean, yeah, maybe the Soul Reaper could have done something or said something, but… The point is-"

"The point is, I'm the only one who gives a damn," interrupted Miku. "The glumness got on my nerves at first, but now I can't stand to see him upset for another reason. It's because now I know his story. I know what happened and I can sympathize with him."

"You do?" Hisagi asked. "You have a sister, too?"

"No, I'm an only child. I'm talking about how there are punks in my town and nobody does anything about it. How people kicked my ass in school and the teachers looked the other way. They couldn't be bothered or because the kid came from a rich family. Most of the time it was because they didn't care. They even said so. You learn how to fight because no one else will have your back. It's not like I was the only one targeted. I saw other kids get bullied, too. I got stronger to defend myself and then I looked after the others who were like me. Usually while looking like someone else."

Ichigo already assumed what this meant. "So, you didn't even fight the bullies picking on the other kids. You just disguised yourself as one of the bullies, beat up one of the students in plain view of a teacher so the bully would get in trouble, and then run off and change back. Is that it?"

"Sometimes. Other times I turned into the teacher and punished them myself. But that was a few years ago. When I was little, I didn't know I had this changeling power. I discovered it one day and practiced. Fighting I had been doing for a lot longer. I had to. I taught myself how to fight from a young age. Read books, watched action movies, even spied through the windows of martial arts lessons. Things like that. Some local punks even taught me how to use knives. I added my own flare, of course."

Miku looked at the blade on his arm, remembering the hard life he's lived so far.

"You learn to look out for yourself," he said more to himself than to them. "When you live in garbage, you end up stinking like it after a while. But it doesn't make you trash. Some still have heart and compassion. When I met Nikko, I figured I could do some good for someone else. Not by getting someone else in trouble or by revenge, but by giving them what they want most."

Nikko looked at his reflection in the blade, then lowered it slightly as he lifted his gaze to Ichigo.

"I cannot be his sister. But I can give him a new one."

"By taking her away from her family," Ichigo said pointedly.

Miku smirked. "Then you should have been strong enough to protect her. It's not Nikko's fault he lost his sister, but it's your fault you lost yours, Ichigo."

Ichigo tried to attack him, but both Renji and Hisagi held him back, knowing it was a trap. Miku was clearly baiting him. If Ichigo attacked in a blind fury, as he was about to, he would end up regretting it.

Miku frowned slightly, distracted by a noise behind him. He turned his head slightly to look.

The other group had arrived. They were still pretty far away but they were traveling quickly.

Miku looked back at Ichigo, grinning smugly. "Well, well. I had a feeling you'd call for help. Let the fun begin."

"You're hopelessly outnumbered," pointed out Hisagi. "What do you plan to do?"

"Are they after me, or Kenji?" Miku asked him with a playful shrug. "They'll focus their attention on Kenji before me. Besides, I'm a smart guy. How else do you think I managed to learn how to fight as quickly as I did? I'm strong enough to go head to head with Soul Reapers. I'd like to think of myself as a prodigy."

"Self-proclaimed, I bet," said Renji.

"You tell me."

Ichigo knew Miku was up to something. The way he spoke told Ichigo that Miku had planned on reinforcements to arrive. Had he been stalling? Did he want them to arrive? Or was this just another one of his tricks?

Either way, Ichigo was going to fight. He didn't care how injured he was and he didn't care if his friends told him to stay back. Miku was not winning this round and Ichigo was not going to let him do whatever it was he was planning.

Miku wanted the group to arrive.

Ichigo shook himself free and flew at Miku with his sword. Miku spun, blocking Ichigo's sword and pushing him to the side. His chest wide open, Hisagi rushed at him with his weapon.

"That all you got?" Miku taunted.

He reached out and grabbed the handle of Hisagi's scythe with his free hand. Hisagi pulled the second off the ground and into his hand. He tried to bring it down on Miku's head but he used his leg to block, kicking it straight up. Hisagi's chest open to attack, Miku kicked him in the stomach and spun. Their weapons cut into the air as Miku moved, causing Ichigo and Hisagi to stumble.

Off balance, Hisagi fell to one knee. Ichigo remained standing but moved before he could fully regain his balance. He saw Miku getting ready to use the blade on his arm to attack Hisagi while he was on the ground. Ichigo grabbed Hisagi by the arm and pulled him to his feet. Miku's weapon came down, missing Hisagi by inches.

Ichigo swung his sword one-handed, cutting hairs from Miku's head. He just missed his ear.

Miku bent down, keeping his body hunched as he ran. He slammed into Ichigo with his shoulder, knocking him backwards. Then Miku yelled. Hisagi had cut him just as he hit Ichigo. Miku pulled back, putting a hand to his side. There was blood on his palm.

"Finally," Hisagi said, exasperated. He had been waiting to inflict an injury on this guy. He pulled back to take another swing, using his Zanpakuto as a bat rather than throwing it. His attacks would be more accurate this way.

Miku stepped to the side then ran himself into Hisagi's stomach, his weaponized arm braced between them. The blade hit Hisagi first and the momentum of Miku's tackle drove it in deeper. Hisagi tried to back up, but Miku held on tight, wrapping his other arm around Hisagi's neck. He jumped up, wrapping his legs around Hisagi's waist, pulling him in close.

Renji reached for his weapon but knew there was no way he could hit Miku without hitting Hisagi, too. They were too close.

Wrapped in a violent hug, Hisagi did everything he could to push Miku away from him, but it was no use. Miku moved his arm from side to side, craving a bigger wound into Hisagi's stomach. The blade sliced over the fresh wound again and again, drawing screams from Hisagi.

Unable to watch for another second, Ichigo grabbed Miku by the head and pulled him backwards. Unwilling to get his neck snapped, Miku let go of Hisagi. He fell backwards into Ichigo and the two rolled in the dirt.

Hisagi collapsed, pressing his hands to his stomach. He was sitting in a pool of blood. He was worried he would lose his innards if he moved his hands. Renji dragged himself over to his friend and examined the wound. He assured Hisagi that everything would be alright, that help was on the way.

While Ichigo and Miku fought, the second group finally reached the injured duo nearby and Orihime set to work healing them.

"Them," Renji said, pointing to the other Soul Reapers further away. "They're in rough shape, too. Help them."

Orihime couldn't stretch her light that far, but it was too dangerous to move either group to get closer. She would heal Hisagi until he was out of danger, then move on to the others.

"Anyone else know healing Kido?" she asked. "I can't heal all of them at once. They're too spread out."

"I'll go," said one of the Soul Reapers.

"Me, too. I'll check and see how rough a shape they're in," said another.

"We need more medics."

The group spread out to help the injured. Some picked up and carried the injured over to Orihime and others tried to mend their wounds on the spot. Uryu tried to do what he could to help. He rushed around, looking for the injured and checking their condition. Some had lost their limbs and others suffered deep gashes to their torsos and legs. He recognized this as Kenji's work.

Hearing a dragging sound, Uryu stopped and looked up. He saw Kenji moving closer and tried to ready an arrow.

"The female," Kenji said to him. "The one who heals. Bring these to her."

Kenji held up two injured Soul Reapers he had dragged by their collars.

"You're helping us?" Uryu asked, unsure of Kenji's motives.

"I am just bringing you the bodies. So long as I do not fight, you will not attack me, yes?"

Uryu looked at the men in his hands. "Yes," Uryu said hesitantly.

Kenji dropped the men at Uryu's feet. "The female had told me something interesting before. That Ichigo loved his sister. Both of them. To Ichigo, they are of equal value."

"Yeah?"

"Though they do not possess any extraordinary abilities. I do not know what function they serve. Why he would desire both. When I asked Ichigo about it, he struck me. He was angry at the remark."

"Yeah. And after that, I told you that there was such a thing as unconditional love."

Kenji nodded. "It seems once I reach a conclusion, more questions surface, causing me to rethink my discoveries."

Kenji looked at the gathering of Soul Reapers, each helping another, working as a team. The Soul Reapers and the human female and the Quincy. Captain, Lieutenants and the lower ranking Soul Reapers. They had all come together, no matter their status or race. Some with a talent that made them useful. Others attempting to assist despite their lack of skill. Each one had a purpose. Each one mattered in some way.

"I am still trying to understand," Kenji said softly. "Why another is so valuable, even if they do not directly affect how long you live. They are an asset despite their lacking in many ways."

"Like I said before, not everything operates on conditions," said Uryu. "Ichigo doesn't care about his sisters because of what they can do for him. He cares because he loves them. They're family."

"I do not have a family. I do not know what that is like." Kenji looked back at Uryu. "I did notice, however, that Ichigo will perform similar acts for those who are not his family."

"He loves them, too. He cares about his friends and his family."

"Even if they serve no purpose?"

"There is a purpose," Uryu told him. "But it's not what you think."

"Explain."

"People are valuable, and not just because of their skills. There's more to someone's worth than that."

Kenji looked from Uryu to the Soul Reapers mending wounds, to Ichigo fighting Miku further away and then turned around to look at Nikko bowed over Yuzu's body under a gathering of trees.

"I see." Kenji stepped away from Uryu, wanting to distance himself. "I am still trying to understand."

* * *

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	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

"Augh!" Ichigo cried out as he and Miku stabbed each other at the same time. Miku had grabbed one of Hisagi's fallen scythes and used it to stab Ichigo in the shoulder as he thrust his sword forward. His reach extended, Miku was able to hit Ichigo, but he ended up getting injured as well.

Miku swung Hisagi's weapon like a bat. He tossed the chain behind Ichigo and pulled, tripping him. He morphed into Byakuya and used Kido to attack. Ichigo rolled to one side to avoid being hit. He rolled into Miku's legs, tripping him. Miku grabbed fistfuls of Ichigo's hair and punched him in the face. Ichigo punched Miku back and forced Miku down.

Miku changed forms again and got on top of Ichigo. Ichigo was heavier than Miku so it was easy for him to roll and pin Miku down. On his chest, there was little Miku could do to fight back. Ichigo pressed his knee into Miku's back and held him there.

It was done. Ichigo had won the fight and restrained Miku. Their fight was over. All he had to do was wait for someone with rope to come along and tie Miku up so he couldn't get away.

"Get off him!" yelled a Soul Reaper.

"Huh?" Ichigo looked at them in confusion. Three Soul Reapers had shown up and had their swords pointed at him.

"Get him off me!" came Ichigo's voice but he hadn't said anything. Ichigo looked down and saw a clone under his knee. Miku had turned into him. "Help! This really hurts!"

Ichigo looked at the Soul Reapers. "Don't listen to him. I'm the real one."

"Don't be fooled!" Miku shouted in Ichigo's voice. "Make him get off me and I'll prove I'm the real one. I'll even use my Zanpakuto. Only the real one can use it, right? Get him off me!"

"Don't listen to him! He's lying to you!"

"Both of you get up and we'll sort this out."

"I'm not getting off him."

"He has a knife!" Miku cried out. "He'll use it on me! Get him off! Hurry!"

"I'm the real Ichigo!"

"I was this close to getting Yuzu back!" Miku cried out. "He jumped me! This bastard won't let me get my sister back! Get the hell off me so I can kill you!"

"That's my line!"

"Get off him!" the Soul Reapers ordered him.

When Ichigo still refused, they moved in to force him away. Ichigo told them they were making a mistake. If he got off Miku, he'd attack again. He finally had him pinned.

Instinctively, Ichigo reached for his sword to defend himself. If these people wanted him to get off the enemy, he would fight them off to keep Miku down.

This was the wrong move. Taking this as a threat, they used Kido to keep Ichigo's arms pinned and they pulled him off Miku.

"No, don't! That's Miku! He's-"

"Thanks," Miku said, standing. "Now I can kill him."

"I'm the real Ichigo! That's Miku! I'm telling you!" Ichigo kicked his legs, worried about what Miku would do now that he was free. "You're making a mistake!"

"Now I can go rescue my sister," said Miku. "Keep an eye on him."

"No! Stop it!" Ichigo shouted.

"Hold it," said one of the men. "We'll take care of the girl. You two stay here until we can sort this out."

Miku stood his ground. "But she's my sister. Shouldn't I be the one..?"

"Just stay put. We'll make sure she's safe."

Miku nodded. "Well, if that's the way you want to do it, then…"

He shifted back and stabbed the men in the neck. He jumped over them as they dropped, laughing.

"You son of a..!" Still restrained, Ichigo ran after Miku as fast as he could. With his arms pinned, he couldn't pick up his sword or swing it. He ran up behind Miku and delivered a flying kick to his spine. Miku fell down and Ichigo stood on top of him.

"Ichigo, get out of the way."

He turned his head and saw Byakuya standing behind him. The Captain got ready to use his sword's power, but if Ichigo remained where he was, he would get caught up in it, too. Ichigo hurried backwards.

"Scatter…"

Miku sat up, watching pink petals dance in the air around him. He knew an attack was coming.

"I'm not done yet," Miku warned. "If you kill me…"

"You're just saying that so I won't. Besides, I plan to use this attack to maim, not to kill," said Byakuya.

Miku shifted into Rukia. "You'd be willing to hurt me?" he asked in her voice.

Byakuya's eye twitched, but the petals did not stop moving. He knew it was a trick.

Miku shifted back. "You are cold-blooded, aren't you?" He shifted into Renji. When Byakuya didn't react, he turned back into Ichigo. Then he turned into Yuzu.

Ichigo forced himself to look away, unwilling to see the image of his sister being sliced apart by Byakuya's attack. Even if he knew it was only an image.

"No matter the form he takes, do not take your eyes off him," Byakuya warned. "I know it will be hard to muster, but he wants us to look away."

Unwilling to let him escape again, Ichigo forced himself to look back.

"Big brother, don't let him hurt me," Miku said in Yuzu's voice. "Please, Ichigo. I'm scared."

Ichigo grit his teeth. "Don't even use her voice to say such things, you bastard."

Miku was toying with him and he hated it. To make Yuzu look at him with those frightened eyes and timid voice; it was almost unbearable. He knew it was really Miku, but he wasn't sure if that made it hurt more. The hate of knowing it was Miku doing this to torture him, or the anguish of seeing his sister beg for him to save her from terrible pain while he just stood there. Both were crushing.

Again with the mind games. Miku really was cruel.

Miku shifted back to his original form. Seeing that neither of them were going to fall for it, he backed up. The petals started to close in. He had nowhere to go.

Miku sighed. "Ok. That's it, then." He looked at Byakuya and grinned. "Bye-bye, Captain."

"Ah?"

There came a sound like fabric tearing only much louder. Byakuya was thrown off his feet and held in the air by large pikes shooting up from the ground.

A trap had been laid underfoot exactly where Byakuya was standing. That was why Miku had backed up when he did and why he had changed forms again. He used a detonator to activate the trap underground.

In an instant, Byakuya's body had been pierced multiple times by long spikes. He dropped his sword and the attack ended before it could hit Miku. With the push of another button, the spikes went back underground and Byakuya fell.

"Byakuya!" Ichigo hurried over. "Can you hear me?"

Byakuya was still alive, but he could barely move. One of the spikes had gone through his neck, disabling his ability to talk. All he could do was gargle blood and point. He wanted Ichigo to look at Miku.

Ichigo saw Miku running away again and ran after him. He wasn't the only one in pursuit. Rukia had witnessed the attack on her brother and was out for blood.

A ring appeared under Miku and he quickly jumped to the side, avoiding the ice. He moved from side to side, avoiding her attacks. When he finally stopped jumping around, Rukia had a clear shot and took it.

"No!" Ichigo knocked her arms aside. Her attack was lined up perfectly with Yuzu. Miku had stopped jumping around because he was lined up with where Yuzu lay with Nikko. Rukia almost hit them both.

Rukia resorted to Kido instead, chasing Miku across the field of barren soil and dead grass. Miku cartwheeled and dashed from one area to the next.

Ichigo left the Kido restraining him lift and flexed his arms. He looked around for his sword, ready to join Rukia.

"Too slow!" Miku tossed a knife at Ichigo, nailing him in the back.

Ichigo kept running while Rukia covered him. Kido now broken, Ichigo grabbed his sword and told Rukia to move. "Getsuga Tensho!"

The blast flew straight at Miku who had no choice but to run. He escaped the blast but ran into the line of fire. Arrows flew at his body, fired by the Quincy standing among the injured Soul Reapers. Miku backed away as fast as he could and slid on something cold. Rukia's ice had frozen the ground behind him. Miku used his knives to pull himself across the ice and back on dry soil.

Ichigo came at him from the front while Rukia attacked Miku from behind. Miku weaved between the swords, causing their attacks to collide. They pulled their swords apart and went after Miku, shoulder to shoulder.

Kenji watched them battle, admiring their compatibility. Ichigo and Rukia fought well together. They had Miku on the run. Every time Miku tried to get closer to Yuzu, they would cut him off. They were not going to let him do it again.

Perhaps they could win against him after all. Miku could only hold out for so long. Kenji believed that Ichigo and Rukia could beat Miku, with or without the help of the others assembled on the sidelines. They both had the skill and determination to do it.

Ichigo took a wide swing at Miku's head while Rukia took a stab at his chest. Miku forced Rukia's sword down with his hand and ducked Ichigo's. He sprang behind Ichigo and tried to use another knife but Rukia protected him.

Annoyed by their combined efforts, Miku tried to target Rukia alone. He used both his knives and the blade on his arm to attack her and block all of her attacks. When she tried to use Kido, he would move aside, letting it pass him and hit Ichigo instead. One managed to restrain Ichigo who was perfectly aligned behind Miku. Rukia quickly dispelled the restraints, but she wasn't quick enough to block Miku's attack.

He went straight for her chest and neck. The blade on his arm would decapitate her and the knife in his hand would run through her heart. She couldn't block both, even if she had her sword up in time. He was going to kill her.

Ichigo grabbed Rukia by the arm and threw her as far as he could. She rolled to a stop and when she looked up, she saw Ichigo with a knife in his stomach and the blade pressed against his sword. He could only block one of the two attacks.

"Ichigo!"

"I'm ok!" Ichigo shoved Miku away from him. "I'm ok."

Miku walked sideways, smirking. "Want revenge, darling?" he asked Rukia mockingly. "Come and get me."

"Don't take the bait, Rukia," Ichigo warned her.

"Don't worry. I know he wants me to come there, but I can hit him just fine from here." Rukia got ready.

So did Miku. He reached into his pocket but not for a knife.

Remembering what happened to Byakuya, Ichigo ran to protect Rukia. Miku wanted her to stand there. His movements, him baiting her. It was all part of his plan.

"Rukia!" Ichigo grabbed her with both arms, spun, and threw her as close as he could to Orihime. "Orihime! Shield now! Hurry-"

The spikes pierced Ichigo's legs. He had cleared most of them, but his legs couldn't. The spikes went back underground and Ichigo fell onto his chest.

"Ichi-"

"No! Stay there!" Ichigo held up his hand to stop Orihime from moving. "He could do it again."

Miku walked behind Ichigo and kicked his hip. Ichigo started to stand but Miku wanted him to remain where he was. He used the same knife he had used to stab Ichigo's stomach to cut his kneecap. Ichigo fell back down, screaming and pressing a hand to his painful injury.

"If you had let her stay where she was, you could have saved yourself this pain," Miku told him. "Not that it matters."

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked through his teeth.

"Those things you got for me from the lab weren't all meant for your sister. Some of those were for me." Miku gestured to Ichigo's punctured legs. "One of those machines allowed me to rig that up. I came back to this battlefield on purpose. I wanted to lay traps for you Soul Reapers."

"I knew those weren't there before. Guess you've been busy last night," Ichigo growled.

"Yes. I knew you'd be back. I also knew you'd bring more people with you. So I waited."

Ichigo looked from his friends to Miku. "You knew. So you waited until they showed up to use these things?"

"Yes." Miku grinned. "And I saved the best for last."

Ichigo watched Miku walk backwards, counting his steps. Once he had the group and Ichigo in his sights, he smiled.

"I knew you'd get the injured all together in one spot to treat them. This makes for a very easy target." Miku bent down and dug in the dirt with his hands until he found what he had buried earlier. "I'm not the only one who can throw knives with deadly precision. Now that you're all clustered together, I can use this."

Ichigo didn't know what was coming but he knew everyone was in danger. If Miku had backed up, that must have meant the next attack was aimed only at them, exactly where they were.

"Shield, Orihime! Shield!" Ichigo shouted. "Hurry! Cover everyone over there!"

Orihime stretched her shield as far as she could, but it wasn't enough. Ichigo was outside of her protection. "Ichigo! Hurry! Get over here, quick!"

Ichigo tried to stand but Miku had cut one of his tendons. He couldn't walk. The other injuries to his legs alone made it impossible for him to get to his feet. He crawled as fast as he could, but Miku wasn't about to wait around for him to make it to his friends in time.

"Maybe now you'll know how it feels when you want someone to wait and they don't give you the chance. The hopelessness and the fear." Miku pressed the button. "Bye-bye, Ichigo. It's been fun."

Something shot up from the ground and flew in an arch towards the group. Something else popped up in front of Miku and open fired in a straight line. Attacks from the front and from above. Orihime's shield only protected them from the front.

Renji used his Zanpakuto to create a dome overhead. Others tried to help with Kido but not everyone knew the proper one to use and the ones who did were still being healed. They all huddled close and shielded each other from the attack.

Ichigo was the only one left outside, utterly alone.

Rukia called his name and tried to run out to help him. She wanted to drag him behind the shield but it was too late. If she went out there now, she would be killed as well. The Soul Reapers held her back while she screamed his name, still trying to reach him.

He had tried to protect her but now she couldn't protect him.

"Ichigo!"

Orihime prayed she would be able to heal him after the attack ended. She hoped it wouldn't be too late for him. There were some things she could not heal. She cried his name, too, thinking this was the last time she would ever see him alive.

"Hurry, Ichigo!" Renji yelled. "You can still make it! Hurry up! You can do it!"

Renji knew it was too late, but he had seen Ichigo beat the odds before. He hoped this was another one of those times.

But as the machines sent shrapnel at them like bullets, Renji, among many others, cringed and had to look away as Ichigo was caught up in it.

Ichigo curled into a ball and waited for it to be over.

* * *

What will happen next?

Please review! ^-^


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20:**

It sounded like a Gatling gun. Ichigo could hear the machines firing shrapnel toward his friends and hitting Orihime's shield. He heard the clanging noise the weapons made as they bounced off Renji's Zanpakuto and the small Kido barriers. He even saw piece of glass and broken blades hit the ground around him but Ichigo didn't feel any of it hit him. He could have been in a safe zone where the weapons could not reach. He tried to keep himself flat against the ground, but even the ground was being struck by the shrapnel.

Why wasn't any of it hitting him?

He opened his eyes and saw a shadow standing over him. A shadow with many arms.

Ichigo turned his head slowly to look. "What are you doing?" he gasped.

Kenji was standing behind him, blocking the attack with his own body. He deflected many of the sharp fragments with his blades, but he was still in danger.

"Get up," Kenji told him. "Crawl to them."

"What?" Ichigo said in disbelief.

"Crawl to them. I will help you. I will cover you."

The pieces of glass screeched as they scraped against Kenji's blades.

"Hurry."

If they could both reach the shield, Ichigo and Kenji would both be safe. There was no time to argue.

Ichigo began to crawl, using his arms to drag himself across the dirt. Kenji walked slowly, straddling Ichigo's useless legs as he moved, making sure Ichigo was protected as much as possible.

He moved as quickly as he could, ignoring the pain. When he stopped, Kenji stopped and offered him some encouragement. "Keep going. Almost there."

One of Kenji's blades fell, severed from his body by the shrapnel. He ignored this and lifted his arm to make up for what the missing limb covered. Ichigo was moving again and Kenji followed. Another blade was cut from Kenji's body and fell.

"What the hell are you doing?" Miku shouted at him over the firing weapons. "Get out of there! Get out of the way!"

Kenji ignored Miku and walked slowly behind Ichigo as a human shield.

Ichigo saw his friends getting closer. He was almost there. Ichigo stopped to look at Kenji.

"Kenji!"

His body was being ripped apart. He never cried out in pain and he never stopped protecting him. The blades from his skin were being broken and the tentacles were being severed left and right. Very few remained. Two were blocking Kenji's nape, where his real body lay exposed.

"Kenji, you're..!"

"Keep going Ichigo. I am right behind you."

He wasn't going to stop until they both made it to the others.

Ichigo picked up the pace, crawling as fast as he could.

"Get the hell out of the way, Kenji!" Miku shouted angrily and pressed another button. This one sent even more shrapnel their way at a great speed.

Kenji's body bucked, jostled by each impact. Still, he kept going, keeping Ichigo safe.

Ichigo was close enough to the shield he could crawl under it and be with his friends. He started to when he noticed that Kenji wasn't following him. He stood with his arms out to either side protectively, still shielding him.

It was then that Ichigo knew Kenji did not intend to follow.

"Kenji." Ichigo stopped, refusing to go without him. "Come on. We can both..."

"It is too late," Kenji told him softly. "This body is…"

"I'll carry you!" Ichigo told him. "Come on!"

Kenji shook his head. "No, Ichigo. This is it for me."

Ichigo's mouth fell open. Kenji put himself at risk for Ichigo's sake, knowing it would be detrimental to him.

All Ichigo could ask was why.

"I was never meant to live this long anyway," Kenji explained. "I was supposed to be destroyed years ago but was forgotten. If I had not been taken from the lab when I was a couple of days ago, I would have perished along with the rest of my kind. Even so, the life span of a Soul Candy like me is not very long. Along with Mayuri's assumption, I estimate I only had about a month left, whether or not my host was compatible."

Kenji's left arm was sliced off his shoulder and hit the ground by his feet. Kenji gave it little notice.

"My kind wanted to live. That was why we rebelled. I was curious as to what end. We have a strong will to live, but for what purpose? We were created for a reason: to assist Soul Reapers. The very people we rebelled against in order to live. What a quandary."

More shrapnel hit Kenji's back. The tentacles holding the blades to Kenji's weak spot were in tatters. One could no longer support itself and fell with a clang.

"I wondered to myself what life was without meaning," Kenji went on. "If we were created to serve Soul Reapers but we rebelled against them, what was our purpose? Our reason to live? We wanted to live, but for what? I thought by gathering information I could discover the answer but instead I found myself with more questions than answers. I began to wonder many more things."

"Kenji, there's still time. The Soul Reapers won't kill you. I convinced them before, I can do it again."

Kenji ignored him. "My way of thinking was suited to my kind, I suppose. We were created for a purpose so it was difficult for me to understand why people did what they did and why they existed in the first place. Why their lives were meaningful. Why their worth was not measured in skill. Why they have purpose even if they were not created for a certain task."

The barraged from above stopped but the machine behind Kenji kept firing. Miku pressed the button furiously, trying to shoot through Kenji to get to Ichigo.

"I think I finally understand a little better why people would sacrifice themselves for others. This thing you call 'love' is a factor but that is not all. I have also come to believe that life is not just about the joy to oneself but the joy one can bring to others."

Kenji looked at the worried faces staring back at him through the tinted orange light.

"I have seen so many during this battle put themselves at risk for the sake of others. I think I understand a little better now. Why you would do that. Why you would care beyond reasons for self-gain and one's value." He looked down at Ichigo. "I thought I only cared because of what you could bring to me. What you could do for me. When you stopped me before, I believe you were right. There was a reason why I did not wish to hurt you and it had nothing to do with self-gain. It was because I have grown to… care for another."

Kenji's right arm was blown off his body below the elbow. Miku kept pressing the button in his hand furiously, not caring what happened to Kenji. Both Kenji and Ichigo suspected that Miku was fed up with Kenji's selfless action and was trying to kill him. He was willing to blast through Kenji to kill Ichigo. He did not care.

The machine in front of Miku began to sputter, coughing up the last of its weaponry. The remaining shrapnel launched from the mechanism and struck Kenji. His body lurched slightly by the blow but he stood above Ichigo, never letting any of the pieces of glass and metal touch him.

"Between what was supposed to happen to me years ago and what was going to happen once this mission was finished, I was on borrowed time as it was. Even if I managed to escape, my lifespan is short as it is," Kenji said softly. "Yes. I am on borrowed time. I understand this. Because of this, I wanted that little time to mean something. To do something helpful for someone else. So my life, as short as it is, would mean something."

The last of Kenji's tentacles crumpled to the ground in broken pieces of tissue and artificial flesh.

"It took me a while, but I decided to live so my life would have purpose. Purpose beyond gathering data. I was never certain what my reason to live was. I just had a strong will to live. I think I have found the answer."

"Kenji…" Ichigo reached towards him.

Kenji's legs gave out and he fell to his knees. He hunched over, his head slightly bowed. When Ichigo tried to touch him, Kenji lifted his head. His body was in shambles. The Gigai was breaking.

"Logically speaking, since I am on borrowed time, it would make sense to sacrifice the shorter life so that the one with the longer lifespan can live. As we discussed, you have a family, Ichigo. I do not. You have a purpose. I was unsure of what mine was since my kind rebelled against our creators. I suppose it was up to me to decide such a thing. I thought my purpose was collecting data because it was a part of my design. I wanted to learn all that I could within the allotted time I had left. But that was not my purpose."

He did not choose to be created. He did not choose to be sentenced to destruction. However, Kenji chose he lived his life and how he met his fate. He wanted it to have meaning. To die in a vat of toxins and fire with the rest of his kind, to wait until his time was up and die alone, or to sacrifice himself to save another. He chose to do good for someone else.

Killing oneself was a selfish act taken by someone who felt there was nothing left for them. If they had no reason to live, why keep going? What was life without purpose? Kenji had come across this during his research and he understood why some humans would choose this end. But it was utterly pointless. The death offered no benefit to anyone, not even the one committing the act. It truly was selfish. Psychologically speaking, those taking such measures probably weren't in their right minds anyway.

This was just another reason why Kenji felt emotions were pointless. To make one feel so depressed they would do such a thing seemed not only pointless but detrimental. To taken their own lives before their time. In that sense, humans were better off without emotions to get in the way.

But that posed a different problem. Without emotions, why did humans keep going? Live for the sake of living. That's what it came down to. Kenji had a will to live but he didn't know what he was living for. Why did humans want to live? They had emotions, therefore, they must have played a part in their desire to continue.

Despite hardships and sorrow, people kept living, leading Kenji to conclude that emotions were both good and bad. Depending on the actions the person took to deal with the bad ones meant the difference between giving up and working through it.

Emotions had a powerful effect on people. The people receiving the emotion and the ones witnessing them.

Kenji had seen Ichigo's friends help him through this difficult time. They helped him through his sorrow and pain. They calmed him down when he got angry so he wouldn't make any rash decisions. They cheered him up when he was sad so he would not get depressed. They wanted him to keep going. They wanted to see him happy. Not just for his sake but for theirs. They were happy that he was happy.

He did not understand why that was until now. When Kenji protected Ichigo, even at risk to himself, Kenji felt something. Something compelled him to do it. When he saw that Ichigo was safe, he felt… relieved.

He knew there was a chance he could be killed, but the difference was that his actions were not selfish. He chose to give his life for the sake of another. Even if it meant dying in the process, he wanted to save a life.

Not just any life, but the life of a friend.

Ichigo was the only one to actually care about him. Kenji knew that Ichigo convinced the Soul Reapers to keep him alive because he was useful, but it was just an excuse. The fact was, Ichigo didn't want Kenji to die. Not because of his usefulness, but because he cared about him.

These people, they cared about Ichigo. Kenji saw it in their eyes when Ichigo was in danger. He saw it in their actions when they tried to make him laugh. These simple interactions had a deeper meaning. A meaning lost to Kenji until this moment.

He looked at the worried and sad eyes through the orange tinted shield. They were looking at him. Not just at Ichigo, but at him, the failed Soul Candy.

Kenji looked away and saw Ichigo's worried expression. The concern in his eyes was enough to convey the message.

Kenji was glad Ichigo was still alive. His life meant something to each and every person behind that barrier. And to the one kneeling in front of him.

Kenji was glad he could save someone. He was glad Ichigo was alive. So many people still needed him. They would be sad without him. Such a void would be hard to fill.

One human was not the same as another. They were not so easily replaced.

Ichigo had two sisters, but he indeed needed both. They needed him. His friends needed him and he needed them.

It went beyond worth. People. No. Relationships like these were priceless.

He was glad he could protect it.

To protect him.

It made him… happy.

"Kenji… Your body…"

Kenji lifted his head, locking eyes with Ichigo. "I think I understand a little better now."

"Kenji." Ichigo knew the Soul Candy was dying. Kenji needed a new host. "Hang on. I can…"

"It is ok."

"Don't talk. I can-"

"I did ramble a bit, yes? It helps me collect my thoughts. I also wanted to share my final discoveries with you."

Final? Kenji knew he was dying. He wasn't fighting it. He accepted it.

"Kenji, no." Ichigo shook his head. "Kenji."

"I know now why they would risk so much for each other. And why humans do the things they do. To seek joy. Happiness to oneself and to others makes life meaningful. Even if you are the one making the sacrifice, if it means saving another, it makes you important. Yes?"

"Kenji, we can help you. Please."

"It is ok, Ichigo. You have a family. You have so many friends. You will live longer. I chose this. I wanted my life to be meaningful to another. Because you helped give me purpose."

Kenji's voice was starting to slow. He didn't have much longer. He had so much more to say but he had to be quick. Rather than share all of his discoveries, he chose to tell Ichigo what truly mattered. He told Ichigo what he wanted to tell him before he disappeared.

"Thank you, Ichigo. I am grateful. You showed me so much. I still do not have all the answers, but I know enough to be content. I think I understand a little better now. Why people do the things they do. Why they care for each other. Why they would sacrifice for each other. Why they smile."

Kenji's lips twitched. Then, keeping his eyes on Ichigo, he smiled. A sincere smile.

"I finally learned how to smile. It does feel good. Now I know why you do it."

He had no time left. He saw Ichigo's lips moving but he could no longer hear him. His vision was also starting to fade.

Compared to the death he would have received back in the laboratory, in a vat of molten flame, this was rather pleasant. He also preferred this to dying alone in the middle of nowhere. At least he wasn't alone. He wasn't suffering either. He felt at peace.

"Oh, yes," said Kenji, smile still on his face. He wanted to enjoy it as long as he could. "I never did give you an answer to your question."

Kenji's grin broadened.

"The ice cream was tasty."

Ichigo remembered the ice cream cone he had given to Kenji in hopes he would understand why people sought delicious things with little health benefits simply because it was enjoyable.

Kenji finally understood. Hearing him admit it out loud while wearing that smile only made Ichigo's heart hurt even more.

Kenji collapsed at Ichigo's feet.

"Kenji!" Ichigo bent over him. "Kenji!"

He saw the creature clinging to the back of the Gigai's neck begin to dry up.

He refused to give up. He lowered his arm down to Kenji, hoping he would transfer to a new body as he had done before. Ichigo wanted to save Kenji's life.

"Come on!" Ichigo begged him. "Get on! You can use it. Please! Get on my body! Use it until we can get you another Giagi. It's going to be fine. Just… Just use…"

The creature crumbled into dust, sliding off its host. Ichigo caught most of Kenji in his hand and held him. He tried to get a reaction but he knew it was too late.

Kenji would not get up again. He was dead.

* * *

No! Kenji! T^T

Please review! ^-^


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21:**

"No… Kenji…" Ichigo held Kenji's remains in his cupped hands.

If Orihime was quick, she could save him. She could bring Kenji back.

Out of danger, Orihime lowered her shield and moved forward. She started to heal Ichigo, but he told her to save Kenji instead. He begged her to bring him back. She tried to heal both of them at the same time.

No matter what she did, the dust in Ichigo's hands remained dust. Kenji was not coming back. She couldn't heal the Soul Candy.

Orihime slowly moved her shaking hands away, giving him a sad look. "I… I'm sorry, Ichigo… I…"

He understood. There were many reasons why her powers weren't working on him. It might have been because he was artificial; it might have been because she could not bring someone back from the dead. Maybe it was because he had been dead for too long or maybe it was because he was nothing but dust and she could only bring back a body. All he knew was that she could not bring Kenji back.

He was gone.

Ichigo bowed his head over his cupped hands, gritting his teeth.

He was proud of Kenji. Proud of his actions and what it signified. He was proud that Kenji learned and grew. When he first met him, Kenji understood so little but know he had grasped that basic understanding that had eluded him for so long.

He was glad. He was happy Kenji had learned. He was pleased to see him develop to such a level.

But it also made him sad. Ichigo was sorry to lose him. He wanted Kenji to live a little longer if he could. He would have thought of a way to convince the Soul Reapers to keep Kenji alive. Kenji's final actions proved that he wasn't an enemy. Just ignorant.

Kenji died saving Ichigo. He would never have done such a thing two days ago. He really was an ally and a friend.

Ichigo was not going to let his sacrifice be in vain.

He raised his head to glare at Miku.

Miku locked eyes with him and did not move. From the look on his face, Ichigo seemed to be trying to hurt Miku with his expression alone. Miku could feel Ichigo's rage. It was enough to root him to the spot, but not enough to keep him from speaking.

"What?" he asked in an annoyed tone.

Ichigo tried to stand but he couldn't. His upper body tipped forward and he held out an arm to catch himself. Some of Kenji's remains spilled onto the ground when he moved and Ichigo quickly stopped. He scooped the dust into a pile, trying to keep Kenji contained.

Even now, Ichigo was trying to protect him. Though Kenji was gone, Ichigo wanted to keep his remains safe.

Witnessing Ichigo's kindness made Miku lower his guard. Ichigo came across as a tough warrior, glaring at people and frowning most of the time as if he hated being where he was. Miku wasn't sure if that was a front he put on to protect himself from others or if that was just another aspect of his personality. He hadn't seen a whole lot of Ichigo's caring nature. Not in this way.

Ichigo said he cared about Yuzu. Shouted, actually. He fought for her with fists and a sword. That didn't exactly show his tender side. It only displayed more of the tough fighter persona Ichigo showed most often. He would yell and threaten and he would fight until he was covered in blood and long after that.

Now Miku could see Ichigo's tender side. Seeing him scoop up the remains of a dead ally, an artificial one, no less, made Ichigo look vulnerable. Not as an easy target to attack, but as someone with a heart.

Like Nikko.

Miku didn't want to take someone's sister away. When he saw how Ichigo behaved on a regular basis, he convinced himself that Ichigo was undeserving of a sister like Yuzu. Someone as kind and sensitive as Yuzu should have been with a brother with similar traits. Someone like Nikko. In a way, Miku justified his actions by claiming that he was taking the girl from a heartless brother and giving her to someone with more compassion who would show her love and care for her.

Now he saw that Ichigo was a sensitive person and was compassionate. He just didn't often show it.

But it was too late to turn back now. What was he supposed to do? Tell Nikko that everything they had fought for was all for nothing? That after all this, after finally finding him a replacement sister, they had to give her back?

He couldn't forsake one for another. To him, Nikko was deserving of a sister. He was finally starting to come around after he held Yuzu in his arms and remembered what it was like to hold a warm body to his chest. He couldn't tell Nikko he had to give her back. Not after all this. He couldn't do that to him. He had made a promise.

Besides, Ichigo had another sister. He had a father, too. Nikko was all alone. He had no one.

No. This plan would continue. Miku couldn't surrender now. He was doing the right thing.

Everything he did, he did for the sake of another. Someone whom he felt deserved it.

After seeing Ichigo's reaction to Kenji's death and after seeing him fight, seeing him never give up no matter how hard things became, Miku respected Ichigo more than he did before. In a way, Miku thought they were similar in a sense.

Miku came across as a psychopath. In truth, he wanted to. As long as he seemed dangerous, no one would want to get near him. No one would threaten him. Where he came from, the thugs always prayed on easy targets. They didn't want a challenge. Once Miku learned how to fight, life became easier for him. He was targeted less. However, there were still people who wanted to cause trouble. That was when he used his changeling abilities to stop them.

To some, pinning the blame on someone who did nothing was unfair, but Miku felt it was justified. The thugs had gotten away with so much that they needed to be put away for something. If they could be sneaky enough to evade the authorities, then Miku would be sneaky as well.

He learned how to get his way. He learned how to make things happen as he saw fit.

The thugs in his hometown were dangerous people, so he would get them locked up. Nikko needed a sister, so Miku would give him one.

Nikko wasn't like him. He didn't know how to fight. He never had to. His hardships were different. Instead of dealing with thugs in a rough town, he had to contend with being apart from someone he loved very much. Someone who loved him in return. Nikko's pain was different. His struggles were different. He needed help and no one would do anything.

Miku was not heartless. He cared about Nikko. He recognized that Nikko didn't deserve this kind of pain. When Miku learned how it all happened, he pinned the blame solely on the Soul Reapers. They could have helped Nikko but they didn't. Now he was alone.

He and Ichigo were just fighting for different things. They were similar, in a way. Neither of them were heartless people. They both had compassion. Neither would give up when it came to winning. They would do anything. They were both seen in a certain light by others. To a point, they did put on a front. At least, that's how Miku depicted him. Ichigo was loving and thoughtful, but he wouldn't show it openly. Miku felt he was in a similar way.

Despite their similarities, they were both very different. In fact, Miku had done something Ichigo would never have done, even if it was intended to help another.

Miku was a kidnapper.

If it meant success, he did not care. If it meant getting what he wanted, he didn't mind taking it from someone else.

Another way in which they were different was seen in the fact that Ichigo would never shoot through someone to reach an enemy, but Miku would.

And he did.

While she healed Ichigo, Orihime asked if anyone had a bottle Ichigo could use to hold Kenji in. Uryu reached for his belt, feeling around for something. He took a small flask off his belt, emptied it and handed it to Ichigo.

Afraid to move his hands, Ichigo remained perfectly still while Uryu brought to flask down to him. He held it steady while Ichigo carefully poured the dust into the flask. He gathered the fallen remains he piled up and poured them inside as well.

Ichigo knew a number of people gathered among them would criticize him for his actions, calling him foolish, but Ichigo just couldn't leave Kenji like this. He couldn't leave him on the ground and have him blown away by the wind. Ichigo didn't know what they could do for him. He doubted anyone would want to give Kenji a burial, but they could decide that later.

Right now, there were other things to consider. Other people to deal with.

Like Kenji's killer.

After Kenji was secured in the flask, Ichigo turned his attention back to Miku.

"You knew," Ichigo growled. "You did that on purpose."

Shaken from his thoughts, Miku blinked. "I didn't know he would throw himself in front of you like that," he answered honestly. "All this time, the guy kept going on and on about how he only cared about his own survival. I had no idea he would willingly sacrifice himself for you. I couldn't have predicted such a thing."

"I didn't mean that," Ichigo snarled at him. "After Kenji did that, you purposely fired at him. That's what I'm talking about!"

He saw him do it. He watched Miku fire that weapon directly at Kenji. He never stopped. He even kept pressing the button over and over again. He was aiming at Kenji.

"I saw you press that button!" Ichigo snapped. "I watched you do it! You had that weapon fire at him! You didn't bother to stop it. I know you were pressing that button to send more broken pieces his way. I saw the weapon speed up. I saw the look in your eyes! You killed him on purpose!"

"I thought he would get out of the way if I cranked it up a notch," Miku defended his actions. He couldn't explain away his action and he couldn't fool Ichigo's eyes. Miku knew Ichigo knew his true intentions.

"You tried to shoot through him to get to me!"

"I figured one of two things would happen. Either he would get out of the way to save his own skin or he would get cut to pieces and fall away, leaving you exposed," Miku confessed. "You're right. I did fire at him on purpose. Yes, I did try to kill him."

"Shooting through an ally," said Orihime. "That's cold. How could you do such a thing?"

Miku paused, thinking about how he would answer. "Kenji probably knew the answer himself. After he tried to protect Ichigo, he knew I never would trust him again. I had to do it."

"No, you didn't," she told him. "You didn't have to! He wasn't an enemy."

"Oh?" questioned Miku. "From my point of view, he betrayed me. The same way he did you. Remember? He got in my way when I tried to kill Ichigo, the same way he got in your way when he tried to stop you from saving the girl. Don't tell me after that you never thought he was an enemy. Don't pretend you didn't think he betrayed you. That you felt you could no longer trust him. That you weren't angry."

Ichigo admitted that Miku was right. He among many others felt that Kenji had betrayed them and could not be trusted.

"But he never lied," Ichigo said loud enough for Miku to hear without shouting. "Kenji never lied. I don't know if he could."

"It doesn't matter," Miku told him. "Whether Kenji could lie or not doesn't make him any less trustworthy. He could still tell the truth and you wouldn't have trusted him. Trust isn't always about lies, but about how well you can read a person."

"Or how well you know their actions," Uryu added. "While it is true that many of us did not trust Kenji, it was never based on lies. At least, not as far as I'm concerned. Every person here questioned whether or not Kenji could be a trusted ally and many felt he couldn't. Kenji just proved to us that he was always an ally. I don't think any of us saw him doing that. It was indeed a surprise."

"Is there a point to this?" Miku asked him.

"My point is that Kenji was a mystery and most of us felt that made him untrustworthy. Especially when it came to his lack of understanding certain things. Things that come so naturally to us," said Uryu. "You, on the other hand, are not a mystery. We can read you. We know what you'll do. We don't trust you because we can't read you. We don't trust you because we can. We know exactly what you're all about. You're willing to stab someone in the back and even shoot through an ally to win the battle. You're low."

"Am I?" Miku asked him, sounding surprised. "I never stabbed anyone in the back. Kenji believed I would not harm him so long as he served and he was right. When he protected Ichigo, he was not serving me. He did that on his own. Since he wasn't serving me anymore, and I knew he wouldn't after that, then I attacked him. That wasn't stabbing anybody in the back. He knew that was coming."

"You didn't have to do it!" Ichigo shouted at him.

"Don't tell me you never wanted to after he stopped you from achieving your goal," Miku threw back. "That you weren't angry enough to do it. That the thought never crossed your mind. That you never felt you needed to or should."

While that was true, Ichigo didn't want to admit it. After he had calmed down and took a look at Kenji's character, he realized Kenji wasn't fully conscious of his actions and how it would affect others, especially their feelings. Kenji did not think he was doing something wrong. To him, his actions made logical sense.

Miku, however, knew exactly what he was doing and did not care. He didn't care who he hurt or the effects it would have. He didn't care if he kidnapped an innocent girl and kept her from her family.

Which reminded Ichigo of something important.

"You said before that not everything on that list was meant for Yuzu," Ichigo reminded him. "That machine was meant for us, but what about the rest of the things? What are you planning to do to Yuzu?"

Miku glanced at the Soul Reapers, wondering if this was a trick. Ichigo might have been trying to distract him. That didn't seem to be the case. The Soul Reapers were all gathered together in front of him. If any of them moved, he would see them. There was nothing to hid behind. Besides, Ichigo seemed to be asking a genuine question. He really wanted to know.

"I suppose you do have a right to know," admitted Miku. "I gave you an explanation as to why I took your sister in the first place. As her biological brother, you should probably be included in this."

"So tell me."

Miku grinned slightly, as if he were proud of the answer he was about to give.

"I asked you to get those things for me from that lab because I didn't have enough to work with and those items would give me an edge. I knew you would come looking for her, so I rigged something up that would help me fight a large group of Soul Reapers. I also needed something to help give me a boast as well. Things to help me fight."

"And Yuzu. What about Yuzu?"

"Your sister looks similar to Nikko's, but not exactly. Only the body type and hair. The eye color and face are all wrong. Her voice. The other things were meant to help me remedy that. I always got high marks in school. I was good in science and chemistry. I know how to do things. I knew that knowledge would come in handy for this. I have lots of skills. I mean, who's better at knowing how to change a face than a changeling?"

"You wanted to give my sister plastic surgery?"

Miku nodded. "Yes. I wanted to change her face to look more like Nikko's sister's. I wanted to make her a perfect replica. But there are still issues, so I needed more. Some of those things you brought me I wanted to tweak so they could do a certain job for me."

"Which was?"

Miku chuckled. "Ichigo, you're a Soul Reaper. You should know this." He gestured to Nikko and then back to Ichigo. "Nikko is dead. He's a soul. That is what you call people like him, right? And those people with you. Those Soul Reapers. They all have one thing in common that poses a problem: They all age slowly. Think about it, Ichigo. Nikko's been the same age for years since his death. Meanwhile, you're aging like a normal living person. Yuzu is also a living person. Therefore, she's going to age quicker than Nikko is capable of. Do you see the problem? Nikko's new little sister is going to be older than him in a few years. Can't have that."

"Then those things you had me take and that other machine..?"

"I wanted to see if I could delay the aging process in her. I wanted to see if I could slow it down or stop it all together." Miku shrugged. "There's a much easier way to do that. I could make her like Nikko, but I'm not the kind of guy who would kill an innocent little girl."

"But you are willing to kidnap one from her family," Ichigo grumbled.

"True, but with good reason, like I said. I'm trying to help Nikko. I thought if I could slow her aging down, he'll be able to enjoy having a little sister again for a long time. He'll be happy. By changing her face, she'll look just like her. Nikko won't notice a difference. He'll look at her and see his sister. That's all he wants. He's been searching for so long and now, thanks to me, he's found her. Not the original, but why quibble? With a little tweaking, he won't be able to tell the difference."

"But what about Yuzu?" Ichigo asked him. "Have you thought about her? Forget me and my family missing her. What about Yuzu? What about her feelings? She never agreed to this. You really think she's going to be on board with you keeping her away from her real family to be a stranger's pretend sister? If you thought she was scared when you guys broke into my house and attacked, just think how freaked she'll be after she knows what you're planning."

Miku sighed. "Actually, I have thought of that," he said. "I had a feeling she'd resist. Even put up a fight. I had a couple of ideas on how to deal with that. I thought I could turn into you again and tell her everything was alright and that she was helping someone who needed it."

"Again?" Ichigo asked. "What do you mean again?"

"Oh." Miku smiled. "That's right. You didn't know. You weren't there at the time. I turned myself into you and your sister let me into your home. I wanted to make sure she'd work."

"You were in my house before?"

"And she never noticed a difference. She thought I was you. I'm a good actor, aren't I?"

That's when Ichigo figured it out. "That's how you knew what my mother looked like. You were in our house. You saw her picture."

"Yup. That photo album was caked in dust. You guys should really clean better." Miku's smile spread. "I can't blame you, though. I suppose I'd be unable to look at her photo after she was gone, too. But the look on your face when you saw me that time… That was priceless."

Ichigo snarled with hatred.

"How did you know where Ichigo lived?" Orihime asked. "Or who he was? And his family?"

Miku stopped giggling. "Huh? Oh, that was easy. In a way, Kenji and I were similar in that we both like to gather information. For me, it makes the performance much more convincing. I went to your school and tried to find out more about you. I learned your family name and all that stuff. Not too many people know that much about you other than how you are in school. I did learn that you had two little sisters. And about your family clinic."

"The clinic." Ichigo shut his eyes in horror. That was how Miku found them.

"Your name's on the freaking building, for crying out loud," Miku told him. "It wasn't that hard to find you. Once I learned what you looked like, I just turned myself into you and walked through the door. I met your sister, knew she was the one and left before you could come home. It wasn't time for me to make my move yet. I had to make sure."

"Make sure of what?"

"That's not important."

Ichigo opened his eyes to glare at Miku again. "Even if you did turn yourself into me to convince my sister to stay with Nikko, it wouldn't have worked."

Yuzu could not see Nikko. Even if Miku did turn into Ichigo and used his form to fool Yuzu, it didn't make up for the fact that she could not see or hear Nikko. Miku in Ichigo's form would basically be telling her to remain with an imaginary friend for the rest of her life. She would be able to feel Nikko, but being unable to see who was touching her would have frightened her.

Miku did not know this was what Ichigo was referring to. He thought he meant something else, which caused Miku to give out more information. Information that made Ichigo seethe with rage.

"Even if she didn't listen to me, which I suspected she wouldn't even if it was you telling her, I had a backup plan." Miku smiled again. "Several, in fact. Some of it was going to involve those chemicals. Some might have included some conditioning."

"What do you mean?" asked Uryu.

"Well, I figured if she was unwilling to participate, I'd force her to play the part. Even if it meant brainwashing her. If that didn't do it, then I planned on basically turning her into a living doll."

"What?"

Miku shrugged, arms in the air. "Those chemicals can make someone braindead if you use them right. I wanted to turn her into a vegetable if she was unwilling to cooperate. Keep her body alive, but make sure she stayed quiet."

Ichigo clawed at the ground, ready to get up in a one-man stampede to trampled Miku to death.

"Don't give me that look," Miku told him. "I said if. I have a number of other ideas. Bear with me, here."

"I don't want to bear with you! You are not touching Yuzu!"

"Well, I couldn't before. The mixture I cooked up wasn't ready. All I have to do now is inject her with a few things, pour some stuff down her throat. I'm not going to kill her. I did specify that she would be a living doll."

"You're sick!" Uryu snapped.

"How could you?" added Orihime. "Yuzu never did anything to anybody. She never hurt anyone. She doesn't deserve this."

"Like how Nikko never hurt anyone? How he doesn't deserve this?" Miku said, pointing. "All he wanted was to find his sister. He begged the Soul Reaper to let him look for her because she was scared and all alone and he had no idea if she was in pain or what happened to her. The Soul Reaper ignored him! Sent him here where he's utterly alone! Like that's fair?"

Miku was not going to back down. He didn't care what it took. In his mind, he was doing the right thing. It was justified. In a way, he was helping Nikko reunite with his sister and he was getting revenge on the Soul Reapers for him.

"You people never listen. If you had waited for him to find her, none of this would have happened." Miku chuckled again. "I'm practically Robin Hood. I'm taking from those who don't deserve it and giving to someone who needs it."

Uryu frowned. "That's a poor excuse. Besides, Robin Hood actually…"

"I don't need a history lesson here," Miku snapped at him.

Orihime was almost done treating Ichigo's legs. Soon, he would be able to walk again. As soon as he could move them, he was going to run Miku into the dirt. He wanted to tear his head off.

Miku grinned, pleased. "I can make my move now. The mixture has finally set. I can turn Yuzu into Nikko's sister. I just have to change her face. If she's unwilling to play the part, then she will become a living doll. I'll slow the aging process down. I'm sure I can do that. Then she'll last a long, long time. She'll be there for Nikko and he'll never be alone again. I won't have to see him so depressed anymore. And there's not a damn thing you can do about it!"

Miku started laughing.

"Look at you! You're on your last legs! You're beaten and bruised and who knows what else? Kenji did a number on you before he made a stupid move that got him killed. And you didn't take me seriously! Look! Look what a weak human can do to the big, bad Soul Reaper!"

With a sadistic grin on his face, Miku locked eyes with Ichigo.

"I don't care how much you love your sister. Nikko has been suffering a lot longer than you and he deserves to have his sister back. It's the Soul Reaper's fault. Unlike you people, I'm actually helping him. I do feel bad about taking her from her family, but I've come too far to turn back now. I'm sorry, Ichigo, but you can't have your sister back. She belongs to Nikko now. She's his! I'll just do some tweaking and she'll be perfect! I've succeeded! She belongs to-"

Miku suddenly stopped.

Moments before, there was a strange whooshing sound but no one had moved.

Blood started to ooze from Miku's mouth. His clothes turned red.

Ichigo blinked. Miku had been attacked, but he didn't see who did it.

Miku's jaw quivered, eyes fixed straight ahead. Ichigo saw the look of pain and betrayal on his face. The look of fear and confusion. He knew who his attacker was.

"How… could… you?" Miku asked weakly.

His body fell forward, revealing his attacker and the weapon that did him in.

A collection of sharp scythes attached to long tentacles. They waved slowly in the air, dripping with blood.

Attached to these tentacles was a doll.

* * *

Who saw this coming? Anyone?

Please review! ^-^


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22:**

Stunned, Ichigo could only say what was on his mind. His mind swirled with questions, so much so that they were no longer questions but noise. At this moment, there was only one thing his confused mind could think.

"The doll…"

The doll Nikko always carried was now standing behind Miku's severed body with tentacle blades waving from its back.

The doll stood on its own, wearing the modest smile it always presented, carefully carved into the plastic face by its creator. Its feet touched the ground, supporting its weight and the weight of the blades.

It didn't seem real, but it was.

Ichigo could offer no explanation. He could only repeat the same phrase again.

"The doll… It…"

Hearing him, the doll looked in his direction. The plastic smile on its face changed, growing winder. The doll had changed its facial expression.

Then it spoke.

"I can tell you are surprised," it said in a feminine tone of voice. High and playful, like that of a child. "I am aware that you thought the one in that flask was the only one left. The one you named Kenji."

There were two of them. Ichigo's lagging mind finally caught up with what was happening, but it was still difficult to make sense of it. How was a second Soul Candy here of all places? How long had it been here? How long was it in that doll? How did this happen? How was it possible?

"It is true," said the doll. "Kenji was the last one. The last to leave the lab. I was the first."

"The first?" Ichigo was finally able to say something else. The shock had worn off. Now he just wanted answers.

"Kenji would have been the last to survive the untimely destruction of our kind. If he hadn't been killed and reduced to dust. Now I am the last of our kind. I am the only Soul Candy left."

Ichigo knew the Soul Reapers wanted to destroy every last one of them, but up until now, they had believed Kenji to be the last one. Now that a second one was discovered alive, Ichigo imagined they must have been in a state of shock as well. That's why they hadn't moved.

It was also possible that they hadn't moved for the same reason Ichigo hadn't. It wasn't just shock. It was out of uncertainty. This Soul Candy had just killed Miku. Did this make the Soul Candy a friend or an enemy?

As if reading their mind, the doll looked at the corpse in front of it. Miku had bled out, his arms, legs and back sliced several times by the blades. He had not survived the attack. The large blood pool on the ground was proof of that.

"I couldn't let him go through with it," said the doll. "I had to stop him."

Ichigo relaxed slightly, but he didn't let down his guard. The doll had yet to put away its blades.

The Soul Candies wanted to survive at all costs. Ichigo assumed, just like Kenji, this Soul Candy would defend itself if it thought it was in danger. Knowing the Soul Reapers would likely attack him with the intent to kill, the Soul Candy would use those blades to stop them. It may not be willing to differentiate between the ones attacking it and the ones who stayed behind to watch. It might have thought one Soul Reaper was like another and that there was no difference. It would attack them all.

However, this one seemed different. It was able to make facial expressions with no issue. Kenji was never this expressive. He had only managed to smile once and that was just before he died. This Soul Candy was very expressive. Its speech pattern was different as well. It spoke like a normal person. It even used conjunctions which Kenji never did. They were the same species, but they had subtle differences. Ichigo wasn't sure what to expect from it.

"Miku wanted to claim your sister's body, but I couldn't let him do that," said the Soul Candy. "That body isn't his. It's mine."

Ichigo tensed up again. "What?"

"You heard me. Miku wanted that body to give to Nikko. I wanted that body for myself."

"You want Yuzu, too?" asked Orihime.

"Of course. Who do you think told Miku where to look in the first place? I couldn't get the body myself. I needed help. Of course, I never told him my true intentions. Otherwise, he would never help me." The Soul Candy gestured to its doll body. "This host has its uses, but I need a better one. That girl will be a suitable host for me."

"This doesn't make any sense," said Orihime. "I thought Kenji was the only Soul Candy to survive. How can you be here when all the other ones were destroyed? And how did you know about Yuzu in the first place?"

The doll grinned again. "I told you, I was the first one to leave the lab. After the Soul Reapers felt we were a lost cause, that we were too dangerous to use, they stored us away until we could be destroyed. They were so busy with these Captains disappearing that they forgot all about us. We all sat on a shelf and waited for our fate. Years and years passed until someone discovered us. A Soul Reaper reached into our container and took out a single Soul Candy and pocketed it. I was the lucky Soul Candy. With me in his pocket, he left the lab. No one bothered to question him. Or why he was in that part of the lab. He was a Captain and they had free reign of the place."

"A Captain did this?"

"Yes. But that was two years ago," said the Soul Candy. "Question all the people in the lab you wish. Do you really think they'll remember something so minor from that long ago? Besides, everyone was too busy dealing with these intruders who came into the Seireitei to stop an execution to care."

Two years ago? Intruders? This all happened when Ichigo and his friends came to rescue Rukia.

"So this Captain," said Uryu. "He wasn't the one in charge of the lab, was he?"

"You mean Mayuri? No, no. This was a different Captain. He had faked his death recently, so I imagine the Soul Reapers were looking for his killer. I couldn't see what was happening around me in my current form, but I was aware of what went on around me. I heard what the Soul Reapers were saying."

Ichigo figured it out. "Aizen! Aizen's the one who took you from the lab."

The doll grinned at him. "Ah, so you do know him! Well, of course you would, Ichigo Kurosaki. A worthy adversary, correct?"

"You know my name?" Ichigo asked, mildly startled by the fact that this creature knew who he was. He wasn't too surprised once he realized the doll could have had the Soul Candy attached to it the entire time and had witnessed the battle up to this point.

"I heard of you, but then we had the pleasure of meeting in front of your school. Remember?"

So it was true. The Soul Candy was attached to the doll when they first met. Nikko held the doll as he stood beside Miku across the street from Ichigo's school. The doll knew exactly who he was. It knew everything they had done because it was there the whole time.

"What do you want with Yuzu?" Ichigo asked, remembering the doll's true intentions. "Why did you want her to be your host? What's all this about?"

"I suppose I should explain. I'll try to be quick about it," said the doll. "As you know, Aizen went into the labs and took me from the shelf before he left the Soul Society for good. He brought me with him and used the Hogyoku on me. He wanted to see what would happen. Since the Soul Reapers gave up on my kind before everything was completed, Aizen was curious about our potential. I developed rapidly. Our kind was designed to develop quickly, learning within a short amount of time. Thanks to the Hogyoku's power, I developed even faster. I am now a fully realized Soul Candy. I didn't have to waste my time gathering information and being curious like that other one. I skipped that phase entirely. I have the same intellect as any other human, only better."

Ichigo hated the way the doll spoke about Kenji. It was disgusting.

He had grown close to Kenji, but that wasn't the only reason for Ichigo's revulsion. He simply couldn't stand anyone speaking ill of someone who willingly put themselves in harm's way to protect another and ultimately died as a result. Ichigo was alive because of Kenji. How dare the doll make light of that.

"Aizen had given me a body to control, but I wanted more. I wanted his. He was always out of reach, though. I think he suspected. When he left for battle and never returned, I started reaching for him. He had taken the Hogyoku with him, not that it could do much more for me. Or so I thought. I didn't know how to control it, but I knew Aizen had used it on himself to become more powerful than anything. Even an immortal. I knew if I could get a hold of his body, I would attain all that power. I would never have to worry again. Nothing could kill me."

He didn't just want power, it wanted security. Just like Kenji, this Soul Candy worried about its fate. If it gained immortality, it didn't need to be fearful anymore. That was enough to gain a fragment of sympathy, but not much.

"I made my way across Huecho Mundo, latching on to one powerful Hollow after another. By doing this I discovered that I gained their powers and abilities, but only while I was in their body. However, if I were to consume a part of their body, I would permanently gain their powers. I would absorb it and make it my own. With every creature I devoured, I became stronger. I became able to open portals into the other worlds. I went to the Soul Society, leeching off one person after another. That was how I gained further information. Information about Aizen. I overheard a couple of Soul Reapers say that Ichigo Kurosaki defeated him and that Aizen was now imprisoned."

The doll cocked its head to the side playfully.

"At first, I thought it would be easy to get Aizen's body now, but then I realized the many flaws. First, he was trapped and I didn't know where he was being detained. Second, why would I want the body of someone everyone was going to be after? And most importantly, why would I want a body that was defeated? It occurred to me that the body I should be going after was Ichigo Kurosaki's. The one who defeated Aizen. He was clearly a much better host. Very suitable, indeed."

"I don't get it," said Uryu. "If you knew Ichigo was that powerful, why did you go after his sister? Why not him?"

"Stay out of this," Ichigo hissed.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" The doll gave them a child-like grin. "I know when I'm out of my league. Or when someone is out of mine. I knew if I had gone after Ichigo, he would have fought back and possibly killed me. For one to have so much power, only a fool would charge right in and think they could control it from the get-go. I knew I couldn't handle him. His sister, on the other hand…"

Ichigo clenched his teeth.

"Besides, when I found him, he was in human form. In order to harness that power, he would have to be in his Soul Reaper mode. Which means, he would have to leave his human body behind. If I were to control Ichigo's human body and force him to leave it, I would remain attached to his human form and the form I want with all that power will be out of reach, free from me. And like I said, if I were to leave and try to latch myself on to his Soul Reaper form from his body, I risk getting myself killed. Whether it be by his sword or by the fact that I cannot survive very long without a host. I would have to attach myself to him in an instant. If he fights back, as I'm sure he would, I would lose my one chance and my life."

The doll clicked its heels together and put both arms behind its back.

"Besides, the only reason I was able to convince everyone to do their part was because I told them it was to help that big lug get his sister back. Therefore, the body would have to be female. They wouldn't have helped me otherwise. I figured it's just as good, being a Kurosaki, after all. And besides…" The doll gave them a wicked grin. "I'll be better protected in that body. As powerful as Ichigo is, he would never harm his beloved sister. Removing me would kill her and attacking me would also kill her because it will be her body. Thus, the great Ichigo Kurosaki will be powerless against me. Not only that, but all you Soul Reapers as well. Would you really be willing to cut through a hostage to get at the enemy? Would you kill an innocent human? A girl, no less? And one so young and sweet? I doubt it."

He had it all planned out. The manipulative creature was banking on Ichigo's big heart and the love he had for his family. It knew Ichigo wouldn't kill Yuzu or do anything that would put her in jeopardy.

"The Kurosaki family is clearly very powerful. Ichigo himself is very formidable. His siblings share that same power. I've tallied up all the benefits and done my research. I've made up my mind. This host, this girl, is clearly the best choice. I'll have all his powers and protection."

"The joke's on you, you idiot," Ichigo barked at him. "Yuzu doesn't have any powers! She can't even see ghosts. That was why she didn't react when she saw you and the man carrying you. She couldn't see you. But I could. Don't you get it? Your 'host' isn't going to have any of my powers! You wasted your time."

The doll turned around. "You think I'm stupid? How do I know you aren't just saying that to get me to stop? What a desperate ploy."

"I'm telling you the truth! Yuzu is a normal human. She doesn't have any powers. She shares none of my abilities. You took her for nothing."

The doll smirked. "I would still prefer to see for myself. And besides, while I'm in there, you won't be able to touch me. Not without hurting her. And I'll still possess all the powers I've absorbed from the other hosts I've had. The way I see it, I still win."

This creature wasn't going to stop. No matter what Ichigo tried, this thing was going to carry out its plan. Yuzu was still in danger.

"But it doesn't make any sense," Orihime said, trying to reason with the doll. "Ichigo's telling the truth about Yuzu. She's powerless. If you wanted her because she shares the same powers as Ichigo… The fact that she doesn't, means that you wasted your time, like he said. There's no point in doing this."

"I'm not a fool. It's still possible that you are trying to trick me," said the doll. "It does not matter. Powers or not, Ichigo will still be unwilling to harm me while I am attached to his sister. That is the point."

"And you really think we're going to let you go through with it?" asked Uryu.

"Yeah!" added Renji. "Now that we know what you're about, we'll kick your ass before you can even reach her."

The doll cocked its head with a smile. "I will not make it easy for you."

Ichigo looked at his wounds. They were closing. Orihime was almost done treating him. If he could stall the Soul Candy for just a few more seconds, he would be in good form to fight again. He just had to keep it talking.

"I have more questions for you," he said, but the doll did not take the bait.

"I have explained all that I wish. I must reach the girl's body before your wounds heal. We may speak afterward."

Ichigo could not wait. He had to stop the creature before that happened. His wounds were mostly healed. It was good enough.

Before Orihime could finish, Ichigo leapt to his feet and ran at the doll. He reached for his sword which lay on the ground between them, but Ichigo never grasped it.

The doll used one of the blades to cut off Ichigo's right hand. Before Ichigo could let out a scream, the doll moved in to cut him again.

The Soul Reapers charged at the doll in a massive herd cloaked in black. They flew into the air, coming down with swords drawn. Ichigo watched them, clutching his bleeding wrist. They had the numbers, but was it enough?

Grinning, the doll spun, slicing through all of them with its blades. Some were cut worse than others, but not a single one of them was able to reach the doll. A crimson rain fell on Ichigo and moments later, it hailed bodies.

Renji took this opportunity to attack at a distance. Uryu did the same.

The doll could stretch its blades to reach them, but at this range, they would easily see the attack coming and be able to evade.

The duo battled the doll while Orihime mended Ichigo's fresh wound.

He was being impulsive again. He should have known better, but he didn't care. He just wanted to stop the doll and protect Yuzu. Even knowing the risks, he would probably do it again.

While Orihime mended his severed hand, Ichigo was given time to think.

He had rushed at the doll like he would any enemy. Initially. After he got a feel for how the enemy battled, he adjusted his style ever so slightly to dominate the fight. He could win on sheer strength, powering up when he needed an extra boost. That was primarily his style, but he did have skills to back up his strength. Not everything was power alone. His lessons in karate taught him how to see moves and turn power against his opponent. Karate wasn't about power, but skill. He used both in battle.

He relied on power a lot and when it failed him he couldn't help but feel weak. But he wasn't weak. He needed both assets to win a fight against a powerful enemy.

The doll was one of those enemies.

Of course. The doll was a Soul Candy. It was just like Kenji. Even though they didn't sound or act the same, several aspects matched. It was the same type of creature. Despite all the differences, one thing remained the same in both: their fighting style. They both attacked in the same way, rendering the opponent incapable of fighting back and then moving in for the kill.

Most enemies Ichigo faced had different fighting styles, but Kenji and the doll's fighting styles were identical. Knowing this, Ichigo realized he would stand a better chance if he attacked the doll as he would Kenji. He knew Kenji's style. The doll mirrored that. Which meant he knew what to expect.

He could beat the doll. He knew it.

The doll wasn't an easy target to hit, given its size. This didn't stop Renji from trying. He came at the doll with everything he had but the doll evaded everything. It even climbed up his Zanpakuto to get closer to him. When Uryu fired, the doll moved to the other side of the long weapon, letting the sword take all the damage.

They attacked at once, knowing one of their attacks would land.

The doll stood its ground and opened its mouth. What came forth was a red cero. The blast created a crater behind the Soul Reaper and Quincy. They only just made it out in time.

"A cero?" Renji questioned. Then he remembered. "That cero from before." He looked at the doll. "Back when Ichigo brought all that stuff outside, a cero came blasting at us and Miku got away. I thought a Hollow was nearby but I never saw or sensed it. A Hollow didn't fire that cero; you did."

"I did mention that I can absorb the powers of any creature I consume," said the doll.

"It did say that," said Uryu.

"The thing went on and on!" Renji snapped. "You think I can remember all that?"

"You weren't paying any attention at all, were you?"

"I was a bit surprised at seeing a doll stand up and talk," barked Renji. "Not to mention I had a gaping hole in my gut!"

"Orihime healed you. You're fine." Uryu readied an arrow. "Since we know its ability to absorb powers is true, then we know to expect powers from both Hollows and Soul Reapers in addition to its powers as a Soul Candy. It said it had Hollow and Soul Reaper hosts in the past as well as normal people. Be on your guard."

"You don't have to tell me that. I know this thing's dangerous."

Rukia stayed by her brother's side, watching the battle wage on. She knew Byakuya was still in rough shape. Orihime took care of his most critical injuries, but not all his wounds had been mended. She didn't want to leave him alone in case a stray shot came his way. He wouldn't be able to defend himself.

She also knew that since she was the least injured herself, she stood a better chance at doing one of two things: She could help the others fight, or she could go and get Yuzu. Both had their share of risks. She could get in the way of their fight, she could end up getting injured. If she went after Yuzu, since she was so far away from the battle, Rukia stood a great chance of being spotted.

In any case, she didn't want to leave Byakuya alone.

She had to make a decision.

* * *

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	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23:**

Renji coiled his Zanpakuto around the doll and prepared to pull. Unless it wanted to get crushed, its only means of escape were straight up and into Uryu's attack. The doll did not jump. Instead, it fired a cero at the sword which broke into several pieces. Renji gave the handle a snap and the pieces rose into the air. The doll didn't know it could repair itself in its Bankai form.

The doll fired another cero. One of the pieces blocked Renji, protecting him from the blast. Uryu fired an arrow. The doll used its blades to slap it aside. Uryu fired more arrows but they were all useless.

"This thing must have a weak point." Uryu remembered Kenji. "It's just a Soul Candy. The weak spot is the back of the neck. We have to hit the nape."

"But I thought those things could only control actual creatures, like humans or Soul Reapers," said Renji. "It mentioned being able to control Hollows, but that's just another living creature with an anatomy. This thing's attached to a doll now. What are the rules on that?"

"It's supposed to be able to take control of the body by attaching itself to the spinal cord," said Uryu. "The doll wouldn't have one of those, so I suppose it's just taken over the body and is using it like a puppet without a spine. Manipulating a doll should be easier in that sense."

"So this thing can take control of anything with a human form? Even a doll?"

"I guess. With or without a spine and an anatomy, we still know its weak spot. Aim for the neck."

"I still say if we destroy the whole body, it will be just as good. No doll, no body, no mobility."

"That may be true, but we need to attack the weak point on its body. That's how we kill it."

Renji shook his head. "It's going to protect that area, like Kenji did. It knows where we're going to aim. We need to hack off its limbs if we have any chance of getting to its weak spot. We need to do that first. It's the only way."

Renji had a point, but Uryu knew it would be no easy task. The blades the doll wielded kept them from getting too close and there were so many of them. Uryu wanted to go for the weak spot first and hope to get in a lucky shot. That would end the battle with minimal injury to themselves, but Renji had a point about the doll protecting its weak spot. This was going to be difficult and dangerous.

While Renji and Uryu dealt with the arduous task of taking down the doll, Rukia decided to fetch Yuzu after making sure Byakuya was not in a dangerous place. Hisagi agreed to watch over the Captain while she tried something very dangerous. He was in no condition to fight so this was the least he could do for someone who could.

The doll noticed her and struck. The long tentacle stretched and was blocked by Renji. He sliced the blade off its mount. Short a blade, the doll retaliated by using four at once to attack Renji. Knowing the doll would go after Rukia if he moved, Renji remained in place and took the brunt of the attack. His sword could only fend off three of the blades. The fourth moved around his Zanpakuto and dug into his stomach.

Uryu used his arrow to cut the tentacle and the blade fell. The doll pulled its limbs back and struck at the Quincy. He fired arrows and fled at the same time. The doll hoisted itself up on its tentacles and used them like long legs to race after him.

It suddenly stopped chasing him and used the limbs as springs to launch itself towards Rukia.

She saw the doll coming and used her sword to create a wall of ice behind her. The doll climbed over the ice wall and grabbed her with two tentacles. It lifted her off the ground and pulled her close.

"That girl is mine," the doll said in a high voice. "If I was willing to cut through my own ally, what makes you think I won't cut through you, an enemy?"

The tentacles tightened, cutting off air to her lungs.

"I can keep squeezing you until you pop or I can choke you slowly so you suffer more. I could also end it quickly by slicing you to pieces. How would you rather die?"

She couldn't use her sword. It was pressed to her body by the tentacles. There was nothing she could do. She couldn't even breathe.

Renji and Uryu both rushed to save her and the doll used her as a shield. That was why it didn't kill her in the first place. It wanted to use her.

When they stopped, the doll used a cero to blast them away. They reappeared on the left and right of the smoke and attacked at once.

More tentacles sprouted from the doll's back and attacked them. A blade pierced Uryu's chest and another cut Renji in half. The doll tossed Rukia into the air and prepared to dice her upon her decent.

Something snatched her out of the air and set her down on the ground. Ichigo had come to her rescue.

The doll tried to cut them both but a shield blocked its path. Orihime had come to protect them. The doll moved its tentacles around the shield, attacking from left, right and above. Orihime would be unable to block.

Ichigo sliced off the blades, rendering the tentacles harmless. They shrank back to the doll like wriggling worms.

"Heal them," Ichigo told Orihime and stood to confront the doll, alone.

The doll stared at him, then smiled. "You dare to face me alone? Have you not seen what I can do? You stand no chance."

"If you know I took down Aizen, then you know I can take you."

The doll laughed, something Ichigo had never seen Kenji do. This Soul Candy was very advanced. More evolved than Kenji who struggled to even smile.

The fact that he could in the last moments of his life told Ichigo that the Soul Candies were able to progress. Mayuri even said that they were designed to evolved quickly, learning things in mere moments which would normally take human beings years. They could accomplish so much within a short amount of time, and yet, they were lacking.

Ichigo compared the similarities and the differences between Kenji and the doll and came to a startling conclusion.

"You're not as perfect as you think," Ichigo told the doll.

"Oh?" it asked playfully. "How so?"

Without waiting for him to answer, the doll twirled around, showing off its body and its mobility. The fact that it would willingly turn its back on an opponent suggested that it did not take Ichigo seriously. In this moment, it did not feel threatened. Either it was because of its own cockiness or because it felt it knew Ichigo well enough to trust that he would not attack an enemy with its back turned. There was no way of knowing. It could have been both.

Based on observation, the doll knew Ichigo wasn't the kind of person to go for the cheap shot and that he liked to talk between swings and while there was a delay in battle. The doll had seen him do this with Kenji and assumed that Ichigo thought it could be reasoned with like its counterpart.

"I am a fully realized Soul Candy," said the doll. "I have evolved as far as our kind possibly can. I have power, intellect and more. I can use the abilities of any creature I have taken a bite out of. I can attach myself to host after host. I have weaponry that far surpasses your own, both in quality and quantity. I have taken your companions down with ease while they struggled to keep up. In what way am I lacking?"

"Humility, for starters. But also humanity."

The doll chuckled. "I am not human. Therefore, humanity is not necessary."

"Actually, it is," said Ichigo. "Kenji was learning it."

The doll cocked its head. "He was still in a state of development. As I have already explained, I skipped over all that and became fully realized. I never had to go through those unnecessary phases."

"They weren't pointless," argued Ichigo. "They were essential to your development."

The Soul Candy burst out laughing. "But I am fully realized! I am fully developed! There was no need and is none. Do you not understand? Why go through the phases when you can get the end result? While the other Soul Candy wasted its time going through phases, I had already finished my development. I surpassed them all."

"Just because you finished first, doesn't mean you surpassed anyone."

The doll frowned. "What are you talking about? That makes no sense."

"Your development is like running a race. While everyone else was going around the track, you cut across the field and crossed the finish line first. That's basically what happened."

"And? Your point being?"

"My point is that in that regard, you never really accomplished anything," said Ichigo. "In another sense, you needed to not take shortcuts. Like being given a test. While everyone else was studying hard and taking their time, you had the answer sheet. When you get the test, you fill out all the answers without ever studying or reading the questions. You put down the answers. They were all correct you so get a perfect score, but you didn't learn anything. If someone were to ask you to do something that was on the test, you would be unable to do it because you didn't learn it. You had the correct answer, but you can't actually apply it to real life which is the main point."

"I don't get what you're trying to say."

"Exactly."

The doll evolved too fast. It didn't go through all the phases that a normal Soul Candy would have which helped with its development. The doll skipped it over completely and now that it's fully evolved, it can't go back and learn those things. It developed before it learned what was important. Now it could not.

The doll was like a cake in the oven without any flour and sugar. Now that it was already baked, there was no going back to put in the missing ingredients. It was what it was.

Human beings could still learn things, but Soul Candies were different. Where a human could go back after realizing where they went wrong and try to do better, the Soul Candy was no different from the unfinished cake.

Kenji was slowly starting to learn things beyond his own survival. Before, he couldn't even conceive of it. In his last moments, he learned the meaning of self-sacrifice and performed it. He learned to care for others and not just himself. If he had lived longer, he may have become no different from an actual human. He could have been able to function in society and not just do as his impulses dictated.

The doll had skipped over all this so it didn't understand. It didn't know how to care about others or see their importance. It only cared about itself and what it could gain. It was no different from a sociopath.

Now that it was fully developed, it couldn't learn these things. It would not be able to understand, no matter how it was explained. Ichigo could not reason with it and he knew that. No amount of talking would help.

This Soul Candy was going to keep doing what it was doing with no consideration for others and have no remorse for anyone. It wanted to have its way and it wasn't going to stop until it did.

"You're no different from a bratty kid," said Ichigo. "You're fixed on something and you won't listen to reason no matter what. Anyone who tells you no is an enemy in your eyes and you'll attack them if they get in your way."

"You say I'm a brat? A child?" The doll seemed both offended and amused. "I am no child. I am fully developed."

"I get that. But I'm saying you're acting no different from a child. I've seen them in stores. They want a candy bar and their mom tells them no and the kid tries to grab the candy and when the mom blocks them, the kid hits her and tries to make a grab for it again. The mom keeps them from the candy and they scream and cry and stomp their feet and make a big fuss. How are you any different?"

"Do you see me crying or throwing a tantrum?"

"You might as well be," Ichigo told the doll. "You have the same mentality. That's what I'm saying. That's why you needed to go through all those phases you skipped over. That way, you would have grown out of this mentality. You evolved too fast. You went right to the finish line. You had to go around the track."

"What would have been the point?" the doll asked, now sounding annoyed. "If your main objective is to get to the finish line, who cares how you get there? As long as you achieve your goal, what does it matter how you do it? If you are saying it is for a sense of accomplishment, then don't bother. I have no interest in such things. I just want to achieve the goal, by any means necessary. Why bother doing it the long way? I'd rather cut out the middle man and just get it done. Don't you want things done quickly? Those phases were just a waste of time. I'm glad I skipped over them. I don't need them."

"You do. But now it's too late. You'll fully developed."

The doll smirked. "At last, you get it."

The doll threw a tentacle at Ichigo who slapped it away with his sword. He jumped to the side, luring the doll away from his friends. He knew the doll would go for the cheap shot if it was in danger. It was not above attacking those who could not defend themselves.

Ichigo swung at the blades that came his way. He blocked most but one cut into his side as he blocked the one on the left. His right side was bleeding but compared to the damage he could have taken from those weapons, it was minor.

"You don't need my sister," said Ichigo. "I told you, she doesn't have any powers."

"And I told you I'm not stupid. You would say anything to keep her safe. Even lie to me if you think it will make me lose interest."

Ichigo blocked another blade. "What if I offered my Soul Reaper form to you? That's what you wanted, right?"

"You think you can simply offer yourself to me and I'll abandon your sister?"

The doll stopped attacking. Ichigo kept his sword raised, just in case.

"True, you would be a suitable host, but even if you offer yourself to me willingly, I will not take it."

Why? Why was this doll only interested in Yuzu? Ichigo just about offered himself to the Soul Candy but it declined, even after explaining how Ichigo would make a good host.

Ichigo wouldn't really give up his body that easily. Of course, he wasn't serious, but if things continued the way they were and if Yuzu was still in danger, Ichigo would sacrifice himself for her sake. If it was the only way.

But it wasn't. Ichigo chose to fight. There was no way he would give himself up without a fight. He just wanted to see what the Soul Candy would do. It didn't know he was being insincere, did it? No, it didn't. Ichigo had hoped it would come off the doll and, while it was in a vulnerable state, he or one of his friends would kill it before it could attach itself. There was no chance of that happening.

But why? Why was it being so stubborn? Why did it want Yuzu and no one else?

"If I gave my Soul Reaper form to you willingly, you won't take it. If I won't give it up without a fight, you won't take it. Why?" Ichigo asked. "Why do you want Yuzu so badly?"

The doll smiled. "Because she is not fully developed."

"Huh?" Ichigo did not expect this answer.

The doll pointed with its plastic hand. "You are fully developed, Ichigo Kurosaki, therefore, I do not want your body. It is powerful, yes, but it has reached it limit as far as potential goes. You cannot learn any more or get any stronger. The things you know, that's it. You are at max capacity. Your sister, however, can still learn things and get stronger. She's a work in progress. She can develop still. She can learn things that can combat your skills, rival you power and even surpass you."

The doll's face broke into a wide smile.

"Don't you see? She is not fully realized. She can still go further. With her as my host, I'll have all the powers of a Kurosaki and the powers of everything I've absorbed so far, and be able to strengthen my host until she is even stronger than you!"

The Soul Candy was thinking like a Soul Candy. It thought everything operated on limitations and capacity. Humans were different. Humans could continue to get stronger and learn more. There wasn't a limit. The physical body had a limit, but humans have limitless potential.

There was a difference between human beings who were born from a mother and a Soul Candy created in a laboratory. However, the Soul Candy didn't see a difference.

"She's younger, too, so she'll last longer," the Soul Candy went on. "And with you around, you won't let any harm come to me while I'm using your sister as my host. Do you not see how perfect my plan is?"

Ichigo grit his teeth and sighed. "You are definitely Aizen's handiwork."

The doll flung itself into the air and spun. The blades whipped around in a cyclone the faster the doll spun. Ichigo braced himself, knowing the doll planned to fall on top of him with the blades still spinning.

Their blades clashed. One after another, the doll's blades scraped against Ichigo's sword. Several locked with his blades, pushing it to the side, but Ichigo forced his sword to remain in place. Other blades began to slither around his sword, moving closer to his body. With his sword blocking the others, Ichigo had no way to defend himself. That was what the doll believed.

"Getsuga Tensho!"

The doll swung to the side, avoiding the blast. Now free, Ichigo pulled his sword back and took a swing at the doll. He still wanted to break it. Without a host, the Soul Candy would be useless.

The doll landed beside him, wrapping a tentacle around his sword. Ichigo pulled but he couldn't get it free.

"Are you truly the one who defeated Aizen?" asked the doll. "Why are you holding back? Show me the power that took down an immortal. Show me the power that took down Aizen. Show me the power of my future host. Everything I will become and everything I will surpass."

Ichigo unleashed another blast from his sword but the doll moved away in time. It landed to his left and struck at his head. Ichigo blocked again.

The doll wasn't trying to kill Ichigo. It knew Ichigo would prevent the Soul Reapers from killing it once it inhabited Yuzu. The doll just wanted to weaken him. Stop him long enough to claim its new host without worry. It had to render Ichigo incapable of moving just long enough to bond with Yuzu. That was the point of all this.

That was why it was quick to cut through the others but not Ichigo. Ichigo would always defend his sibling, even while being operated by a Soul Candy. It knew what Ichigo would do.

"You know," said the doll as it slapped Ichigo's sword aside. "Everyone was so willing to help because this one happened to be home at the time. I took advantage of the situation. It fell into my favor. And if you turn out to be telling the truth, you have another sister. I could use the spare if this one turns out to be worthless."

It could have been either of them. Ichigo already knew that. Yuzu happened to be home at the time of the attack. If Karin had been home instead, they would have taken her. The doll would have come up with a reason for taking the other twin, but it did work out in their favor since the one who was home at the time was the one they were after. The one who looked like Nikko's sister.

"It was hard keeping quiet all that time, but I had to make my move when I did. I couldn't let Miku tamper with my new host. Even if it was to make it stronger and last longer, it wasn't worth the risk. I didn't want anything to happen to my new host so I had to stop him."

"And Nikko?" asked Ichigo. "What about him? Would you have killed him, too?"

"If he got in the way," admitted the doll. "But he's of no threat to me. He's too timid and holds no power. He's average. A normal person with no special abilities and no knowledge of combat. He cannot fight and he is not very strong, therefore, he poses no threat to me. I see no reason to kill him. Even after I get my new host. He had no idea what I was planning. I only told them what was needed for them to help me. This way, they would do all the work, keep the host safe until I was ready to use it and they would be attacked in my place. Miku was more of a threat to me anyways. But not Nikko. Even if he learns my true intentions, he would never be able to bring himself to harm an innocent girl. Therefore, he will not harm me. He may even try to protect me like you will once I've obtained my new host."

It only kept certain people alive because they would benefit the Soul Candy in some way. If it had use of them, they would not be killed. Yet. Others it killed if it felt threatened or if they had nothing left to offer it.

Ichigo shook his head. "You really are something else. You know that?"

* * *

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	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24:**

Ichigo shook his head. "You really are something else. You know that?"

Then he wondered…

"If Kenji were still alive, would you have tried to protect him from danger? He's a Soul Candy just like you. Wouldn't you look out for each other?"

"Not at all," confessed the doll. "I care for my own life and no other. Just because he is of similar creation and bears a similar circumstance, I see no reason to do anything if his life were in danger nor go out of my way to assist him if I am doing something else. Would you go out of your way to help a complete stranger if there was no benefit in it for you?"

"Yes, I would," Ichigo said without hesitation.

The doll sighed and shook its head. "Such a thing is pointless. There is no logic in that."

"It's called caring for another and doing the right thing. It's called being thoughtful."

"It's called foolishness," corrected the doll. "This is why you make no sense to me. Why you are so easy to manipulate. Why you are here fighting for your sister when you could be at home minding your own business and living your life. You would be less injured, for starters."

"You expect me to go home and pretend none of this happened? To let you take my sister simply because I can't be bothered to do anything? To just let her go?" Ichigo grit his teeth again. "What would that make me? What kind of life would I live?"

"One with less issue. You and your friends would not be injured. It's not like I'm going to kill her. She'll still be alive. I'll just be in control of her body."

"But she won't be with her family. Get to hang out with her friends or live her life as she chooses. To just be her."

"Is that really any of your concern? It's not your life."

"But Yuzu is a part of mine. It would be painful for me not to have her in my life anymore. And what about what she wants? You took her the way you did because you knew she would not want to be a part of this. You knew she wouldn't be willing. That means you know what you're doing is wrong to some extent. You know she wouldn't want this. What you're doing is cruel."

"I don't care what she wants. Only what I want." The doll lowered itself to the ground and stood on its tiny feet. "This is what I do not understand. If you did not care, this wouldn't bother you so much. Why put yourself through this? I'm cruel? If you let me take her in the first place without all this fuss, your friends would not be injured, you would not be injured. Things are better when you do not care for others. When you live only for yourself."

Ichigo gave the doll a look of pity. "What kind of life is that?" he asked.

To have nothing in it but survival? To not feel anything?

While it was true, Ichigo and his friends would not be suffering if they had simply given up on Yuzu and let the doll take her, it wouldn't be right.

To get used to seeing her every day and for her to suddenly not be there anymore. Even if he did not care, what about Karin? What about his father? Yuzu's friends? They would miss her. It wasn't just about Ichigo and what he wanted. What his feelings were. There were many people involved. Including Yuzu. For her life to just end here and serve as a Soul Candy's host for her remaining years…

Ichigo glanced at his friends being healed by Orihime. He looked behind the doll and saw Nikko kneeling over Yuzu.

That's right. It wasn't just about those feelings.

Yes, if he did not care, then things would be much simpler. He would not feel lonely or sad when she was no longer around. If he did not care, then it wouldn't bother him when others were sad either. His sister's sadness wouldn't bother him nor that of his father's. He would not be injured or have to watch his friends get injured. It would be so much easier.

But what about the joy? What she would leave behind? What her no longer being there would take away from them?

They would miss her cooking and how she would take care of the house. How she was a good little nurse and how she took care of others. Her kindness and gentle heart. Her smile and her laugh. The memories they had together. The good times they shared.

Something would be missing. Just as their mother had when she was gone. How things changed. It would be the same thing with Yuzu being gone.

One less person in the house. One less person to remember their mother.

Ichigo gripped his sword tightly.

He could never abandon her. Any more than Nikko would his own sister. He saw the look in Nikko's eyes. He saw what he was going through. How far he was willing to go just to have his own sister back.

How had he not noticed until now? Nikko was more than just a silent guardian holding his sister.

What Nikko was doing… What Ichigo was doing… Even his friends.

Yuzu wasn't their sister and most of the people gathered here didn't even know her. But they knew Ichigo. They had to help him. They were going this far to rescue Yuzu even at the cost of their own bodies for Ichigo. For his family. It wasn't just for her.

That was what Kenji realized as he saved Ichigo's life. Shortly before dying, he realized that caring for one another bonded people together. Love made people do things they might not normally do. To sacrifice themselves for the sake of others. The joy one feels not from oneself but from the joy of others. How seeing another person happy will make them happy.

They all banded together to help in this fight in order to help someone they cared about. It wasn't just about doing the right thing. It was about caring for someone else. Love and consideration.

"They care because someone else cares… They care about Yuzu because I care about her."

The doll cocked its head.

"Yuzu is important to the Soul Reapers because she's important to me and my family. My friends and I care about her because we love her," said Ichigo. "We can't let you take her away from us."

The doll gave Ichigo an annoyed look. "That makes no sense to me whatsoever. I care because she will make a good host. She's beneficially to me. You care because you care? That makes no sense at all."

"I guess it's something you can't explain with words," said Ichigo. "You'd have to feel it."

The doll did not respond at first, taking its time to consider Ichigo's words. Ichigo's logic still made no sense to it. It did not have compassion nor did it have empathy. It did not understand why Ichigo and his friends would push themselves so far for one girl. A sibling bond was Ichigo's excuse, it supposed, but what of the others? They did not share that same blood. Why would they care? Why would they risk injury or even death for someone else's sibling?

It couldn't have been that simple. To care for reasons beyond personal gain. That made no sense.

Even though it watched Kenji willingly risk his life for Ichigo's, the Soul Candy still did not understand it. It thought Kenji was being foolish. He couldn't have had a good reason for doing what he did. What was the point in protecting someone you cared for if you would end up dead by doing it?

Such a thing… It was weakness. Yes, that's what it was. Weakness. To care for others put one in a vulnerable state. If one did not care, then one was not at risk. That made sense. That was why all those people ended up the way that they did. Why Miku was willing to help Nikko and ultimately got killed. Why Kenji protected Ichigo at the cost of his own life. Why Nikko was so easy to convince. Why these Soul Reapers were so injured.

That was why the Soul Candy was still standing. It did not care about others. Only for itself.

It was a good thing it developed so quickly and skipped over those phases. It didn't have to worry about becoming weak like the others. Even Kenji was growing weaker. That was why it was still strong and would remain strong.

The doll began to laugh. "You pity me? I pity you." It lifted its head. "These feelings you speak of are weakness. That is why I remain and your numbers fall. This compassion and consideration… Empathy… It makes you weak. That is why you throw yourselves into danger. Why you cannot walk away when you should. It's weakness! I am better off without it! Without such things, I have surpassed you all!"

"It isn't weakness," argued Ichigo. "It gives you strength!"

"Then show me!" the doll urged him. "Show me this strength it gives you! I will prove it to you. I will show you how weak it makes you! If you haven't been convinced by the sights around you, let me be the one to prove it to you!"

The doll rose into the air and sliced the air in front of Ichigo with its blades. He blocked two but the third cut into his side. Ichigo lurched to the side. He avoided another hit with his sword and jumped to the right to avoid another.

He had a reason to fight. They all did. That was why they hadn't given up. That was what made it a strength. Now Ichigo would prove it.

"Ahh!" Ichigo came running at the doll with his sword over his head.

The doll sent out its blades and Ichigo weaved between them. He sliced one from its tentacle and then another. The doll launched one at his chest but did not cut him. The tentacle wrapped around him and his sword.

"Hado 4, Byakurai," said the doll.

The tentacles began to crackle and spark. Suddenly, a powerful electrical current went through Ichigo's body. His muscles tightened painfully and Ichigo bit down so hard he thought he would break his jaw. When the jolt of lightning stopped, Ichigo's body was left twitching from the attack.

"I did mention that I had Soul Reaper hosts in the past, right?" said the doll. Ichigo couldn't see its face but from its tone of voice he knew it was smiling. "I have the powers of a Soul Reaper as well. All I had to do was take a bite out of them. Just one is enough for me to gain their power."

Ichigo opened his eyes and tried to looked down at the doll but the tentacle binding his head wouldn't let him. "You… can use… Kido, too?" he asked through his teeth.

"Yes, I can." The doll lifted itself up and balanced on one of its own tentacles. "Oh, does it hurt?" it asked in a mocking tone. "Let me see what I can do for you."

The doll placed its hand on Ichigo's chest.

"Bakudo 63, Sajo Sabaku."

The doll quickly jumped away, untangling its tentacles so that it would not get caught up in the attack. Bright ropes of light surrounded Ichigo's torso and held him tightly. The doll let him drop to the ground and stood over him, laughing.

"Now stay there while I do what I set out to do."

Ichigo struggled as hard as he could but the ropes would not break. He crawled after the doll like a caterpillar, trying to stop it.

He couldn't let it win. This fight wasn't over yet. He still had to show the doll the strength that came from caring for another. He would make the doll understand. To see the truth and how flawed it truly was. He would show the doll that it never stood a chance at keeping Yuzu all to itself.

He had to win. He had to.

"Stop! Get back here!"

The doll kept walking away, unthreatened.

"No! Stop! Don't! Get away from her!" Ichigo crawled faster. "I won't let you!"

"Do you hear yourself?" asked the doll. "So pathetic. You had your chance to show me your power and you failed. I am not impressed with this strength of compassion, or whatever you call it."

Ichigo turned his body to the side and rolled like a log towards the doll. The doll lifted itself up before Ichigo could roll into its body.

As the doll lifted into the air, something came at its head from behind.

It held up a blade to block but the spinning projectile sliced right through it and over its head. It suddenly changed direct and came back like a boomerang. The doll dropped to the ground to avoid getting hit.

The weapon was caught by Hisagi who came running with his Zanpakuto spinning in his left hand while he carried the other.

The doll threw itself into the air and fired a cero. Hisagi picked Ichigo up under his arm and jumped to the side. The cero stirred up a dust cloud which was the perfect cover for them. Hisagi moved his hand over Ichigo and the ropes vanished. Ichigo picked up his sword and the two attacked together.

Hisagi shot out of the dust cloud, attacking the doll from the air. He threw one weapon and kept the other to block. As he predicted, the doll tried to attack him with its tentacles as soon as he threw his Zanpakuto.

Ichigo attacked from below, running out of the dust cloud and then jumping straight up and underneath the doll. The doll used its other tentacles to attack below. Ichigo knocked one aside after another and grabbed the last one with his left hand. He held on as the doll took him for a ride.

Hisagi closed in and the doll attempted to use Ichigo as a shield. Ichigo let go of the tentacle and made a grab for the doll's body. At the same time, Hisagi followed through with his attack.

The doll moved backwards and into another attack. A pillar of ice stopped it from backing up any further. Rukia had joined the fight.

The doll moved downward and tried to wrap its tentacles around Ichigo's body. It was blocked by a long flexible sword. It wove itself around Ichigo like a cage, blocking the tentacles but giving him enough space to move between them. Renji wasn't able to stand just yet, but he would swing his sword while Orihime finished healing him.

"That damn Soul Reaper…" The doll looked to the side and saw Rukia coming at it with her sword. The doll blocked with two tentacles. Shortly after it was blocked, another blade came spinning between them, severing the tentacles from the blades. With nothing in her way, Rukia closed in.

The doll fired a cero, then it moved downward again to attack the others. It fired a second cero and then a Kido attack. The Soul Reapers would have to move out of the way if they didn't want to get caught up in the blast. As long as the Soul Reapers were kept at a distance, it would have a chance.

Knowing this, the Soul Reapers made sure to stay as close as possible. They avoided the blast and came after the doll again.

The doll tried to grab one of them and use them to fend off the others like before. No such luck. Hisagi clipped off another blade and Ichigo severed another. The doll used its remaining limbs to scuttle away behind the ice pillar.

It was on the run. Ichigo knew something was different about its fighting style. It was the tentacles. It had lost too many. That was why it was avoiding using them at this point in the battle. Apparently, they didn't grow back. This also meant that it had a limited supply. It was running out of weaponry.

"After it!" Ichigo shouted, but the others were already giving chase.

The doll swung itself around the pillar and into Hisagi's face. It wrapped its tentacles around Hisagi's arms, pinning them to his side. Unable to use his two weapons, he couldn't cut off any more of its limbs. If they tried to attack it directly, they would risk killing him.

To its surprise, they kept coming. It tried using Hisagi as a shield, and instead of using their swords, they used other means. Ichigo used his fists while Rukia used Kido.

"This is impossible." The doll moved behind Hisagi and fired a cero over his shoulder. They dodged.

There were too many coming at it from all sides. It couldn't keep up with their numbers now that it had lost so many blades.

Even worse, it had skipped over some crucial combat lessons during its development. It had plenty of coordination and could attack multiple targets at once, but it was having a hard time keeping up at this time. Was there a problem with its sensory? Kenji didn't have this issue when he fought multiple targets at once. It knew where everyone was and could attack without looking.

The doll could do the same thing. It had so far, hadn't it? What was the problem now?

Was it the loss of limb? Were they too close? What was it?

It was… panicking.

That's what it was lacking. That was the part it skipped during its development: how to keep calm under pressure.

All Soul Candies would fight their way out if they were backed into a corner, but over time, they learn how to get out of the corner and not to simply swing hoping to hit their target. They learned strategy, but that was when they weren't backed into a corner. During their many phases, they learn how not to panic if cornered. The doll never learned that. It had learned to be confident, but without the other phases that just made it cocky. Its arrogance prevented it from thinking it could ever be cornered.

Now that it was, it didn't know what to do other than attack. Not with a formation, but to swing wildly and hope to hit the threat.

Panic dulled the senses. Unable to see each target clearly, it swung at anything that moved. The figures that surrounded it.

It cut Rukia's shoulder. It bashed into Hisagi's Zanpakuto. It forced Ichigo back.

Distance. It had to distance itself from the threat. An open space. That's what it needed to see them clearly.

The doll grabbed onto Ichigo with the same tentacle that pushed him backwards and pulled itself onto his shoulder.

Thinking the doll was going for his body, Ichigo put his hand over the back of his neck. If it couldn't get at his nape, it couldn't enter his body.

Instead, the doll rode him to the ground, then pulled itself away with its other tentacles, scuttling like a crab to the ocean.

An arrow flew from the side and cut one of the tentacles. Off balance, the doll toppled to the ground. It started to pull itself up, but Ichigo cut off another with his sword.

Ichigo was on top of it.

How was this possible? If it had any hope of survival, it needed a new host. A better one. A safe one. It had to reach Yuzu.

Ichigo cut off its path and the doll hoisted itself up. If it could not get past Ichigo it would go through him. It fired a cero and Ichigo countered with his Zanpakuto. The two blasts canceled out and both were sent sliding backwards from each other. The doll was further back than it wanted. It had to press forward if it expected to reach Yuzu.

Ichigo was in front of it again. Another cero attack wouldn't work. The same thing would happen again, sending it backwards from the force of the blast. It would have to restrain him like before. Restrain all of them.

The doll tried using Kido, but it did not work this time. Hisagi used a shield of light to defend against the attack. That was another type of Kido. One the doll had not seen. Since it didn't know the incantation, it could not perform it. No matter. It knew other Kido attacks. It tried again but Hisagi dodged. Hisagi tried using his scythe but the doll grabbed it with its tentacle and held it. Ichigo came to cut off its limb and the doll pulled Hisagi in the path of the sword. He let go of his weapon and let the doll have it instead.

The doll used the weapon as its own and swung at both of them. Hisagi drew the other and countered. The doll swung again and again. Finally, Hisagi took a direct hit to the shoulder.

"Raah!" Ichigo was coming. The doll heard his battle cry and tried to swing the scythe but it was stuck. When the doll looked back, it saw Hisagi holding onto it with both hands. The constant jerking sliced his shoulder further, making the injury worse. Judging from the look on his face, it was very painful.

So why didn't he stop? Why not let go of the weapon? It was causing him pain.

Did he hold it in place for Ichigo's sake? To keep the weapon from being used and to keep the doll's limb occupied? Was it worth the self-mutilation? The pain?

Blood spurted from the wound but Hisagi did not let go. Ichigo raised his sword to cut through the tentacle holding the weapon.

The doll had limited limbs now and needed all that it had. It could not lose another. The doll released the scythe and pulled back.

What could it do now? Keep running until it reached Yuzu? Or should it take one of the weaker Soul Reapers as a temporary host? Surely, they would not attack a fellow comrade, much less a hostage.

It would have to get close. It could not risk leaving its current host and scuttle to the next one. It had to grab one of them and then bond in an instant. Could it do it? Was there an opportunity?

The doll jumped back, avoiding an arrow. The Quincy was too far away. It would have to be one of the closer ones. It went for Hisagi and Ichigo blocked its path again. The doll changed directions. Ichigo attacked. The doll landed on its feet and looked for an opening. Then it attacked, missing Ichigo on purpose. It used its tentacle to grab the earth and pull itself between Ichigo's legs and behind him.

Seeing its movements, Ichigo pressed his hand over his neck to protect himself.

There wasn't an opening. It had to find someone else. Was a new host a good idea? They knew where it would go. Perhaps a new plan. But what?

Rukia and Renji attacked together. Hisagi joined them.

The doll grabbed Ichigo's other arm and pulled him close. The pressure on his wrist caused Ichigo to drop his sword.

With one hand over his neck and the other empty, there was little he could do.

The doll held him close and smirked. They could not attack without injuring Ichigo.

Ichigo saw how close the doll was to his body and felt how tightly its tentacle was gripping him. It left them without an opening near or far.

Except one. Possibly two. But they weren't exactly openings.

Ichigo could do it, but only if he had a weapon. A thinner weapon, like his sword when he unleashed his Bankai.

A sword like…

"Rukia!" Ichigo hollered. "Sword!"

With minimal words, Rukia understood what he wanted and threw her sword at him.

The doll knew the attack would not reach it. Not only was her aim off, but it was protected by his human shield.

To its great surprise and horror, Ichigo caught the sword with the hand he had clamped over his neck and stabbed the doll through his own arm.

The plastic cracked and split. He ripped the sword out of the doll's chest and sliced off its tentacle, freeing his right arm. He would have more control with his dominate hand. He tossed the white sword back to its owner and picked up his own.

The doll stood, balanced on its three remaining tentacles it was using as leg extensions.

The flowery kimono had been torn, revealing the jagged hole in its chest. The cracks spread away from the hole towards its arms. The more the doll moved, the longer the cracks became.

Its chest was hollow just like any plastic doll. The insides, however, were anything but typical of an average children's toy. The hole revealed where the Soul Candy's body continued inside the doll. Long veins spread from the entry in the doll's neck to all four plastic limbs. That was how the doll controlled a host with no spine. The veins were like long, sticky webbing, moving the arms and legs from the inside. It was more like a suit of armor than a host.

The Soul Candy must have had no choice but to operate the doll in this way because it had no internal organs or bones. No spinal column to seize control of to operate the rest of the body. The spine and brain controlled the body. They connected. The brain ran signals through the spine to the rest of the body which enabled movement and organ control. Without a spine, the Soul Candy had to operate the body manually. Instead of controlling everything from one spot, it had to spread throughout the hollow body and act like a skeleton.

This gave Ichigo an idea.

If this was the case and the Soul Candy was controlling the body the way Ichigo suspected, this meant that the Soul Candy didn't just reside in the nape, but throughout the entire body.

Meaning, if they hacked the doll to pieces, then they would end up killing the Soul Candy.

Each vein they saw was an extension of itself. The veins were a part of the Soul Candy.

Ichigo lifted his sword and tried to cut off one of the doll's arms.

The doll retreated quickly. It tried to cover its chest, hinting at the truth.

It did not want them to see its insides which could only mean that Ichigo's theory was correct. Its weak point had been exposed.

"Smash it, break it, whatever you have to do," Ichigo called to the others. "Destroy that doll!"

It backed away fearfully. They knew.

Ichigo tried to swing at its head but his arm throbbed painfully. The spot where he had stabbed himself was weakening his attack. It was painful to hold the sword and even more painful to swing.

The doll still did not understand why he did that. The attack caused Ichigo's body damage. Unlike the Soul Candy, he could not relocate. Why would he willingly hurt himself just to land an attack on another?

It made no sense.

None of this made any sense.

Their actions, their tenaciousness. The fact that they were all willing to fight for one girl. Ichigo was the only one with reason to fight. It was his sister. She was not related to the others; many of whom had never even met her. Why were they fighting? Why were they putting themselves at risk?

The Soul Candy knew that they would try to protect one another, which was why it used that to its advantage, but it did not understand why. It knew the facts, but it lacked the understanding.

Their motivation was care for one another, but surely there was a limit. There had to be a limit to how far one was willing to go for another. A point in which they would stop and give up the fight. To flee to protect oneself.

Why weren't they abandoning each other? Even when things got this bad, they stayed.

Rukia tossed her weapon to another, leaving her momentarily exposed. Ichigo stabbed himself to attack the enemy. They took damage for each other. They continued to fight despite being injured. Some even rejoined the fight before being fully healed. They were still in pain and yet they fought.

For what? Some girl?

Did they not want the Soul Candy to gain the Kurosaki power? Was that what this was about? To prevent it from becoming stronger?

Or was it really just about protecting an innocent life? Protecting someone's sister?

Was there truly no benefit other than seeing another happy? To protect?

It made no sense.

Love and compassion? That nonsense?

Why risk yourself for no benefit? Why fight for someone else?

Reason…

The Soul Candy had more reason than they did. It needed a strong host to live.

All they wanted was to bring a young girl home to her family.

Now that it thought about it, they all had stupid reasons for doing what they did. Even in the group it was with. Nikko missed his sister. Miku wanted to help someone in need. He felt sorry for Nikko. He said he wanted to do something good for another.

What was the point?

Self-gratification? What was the accomplishment?

Missing a sister? What was the point? Why not move on? Why do these things? These pointless things? What was the benefit?

Helping another? For what purpose? What was the benefit?

It had real reasons. It would benefit.

All these people. Both sides… They all had foolish reasons. Pointless motivation.

The sadness, the pain, the struggles… They were better off without them. That was why having such feelings, having compassion and caring for others was a weakness. Pure and simple weakness.

Then why weren't they stopping?

Why did they continue despite their wounds and fatigue? It was a weakness. These feelings and motivations were superfluous. They had no true purpose, unlike the Soul Candy.

Why?

Why did they continue? Why did they fight?

It made no sense.

They should have given up by now.

The battle was hard and they did not know the girl.

They should have given up by now.

Ichigo had another sister.

He should have given up by now.

Was she worth all this?

Why?

Why wouldn't they stop?

Why?

Why?!

"Ahh!" Ichigo cut off two of the doll's tentacles.

The one remaining could not support the doll and it fell to the ground.

Ichigo moved in and raised his sword to cut off the third.

The doll raised its tentacle blade and pointed it at Ichigo's chest. If he followed through with the attack, he would be skewered.

He kept coming. He wasn't backing down, even in the face of mortal danger.

The doll's face contorted with rage.

"Is this one human girl worth dying for?!" it shrieked. "Is she that valuable?!"

Ichigo let the blade cut into his chest. "The ones I love are priceless to me."

The doll watched as its blade went through Ichigo's chest and out his back. It watched as his sword kept coming, closer and closer.

Was the Kurosaki blood that valuable? Something no one wanted anyone to possess? That fine a weapon?

All this time, that was why the Soul Candy thought Ichigo fought to keep her safe and out of enemy hands. The power of a Kurosaki was invaluable.

Ichigo claimed there was another reason. A reason the Soul Candy still failed to grasp.

Even as the sword fell, cutting off its right arm and half its leg, the doll could not understand. It still made no sense to it.

It pulled the blade from Ichigo's chest in one last attempt to get away.

Even as the Soul Reapers surrounded it, the Soul Candy still thought they were all foolish. That their reasons were ridiculous.

Even so, what the Soul Candy deemed to be weakness was strong enough to defeat it.

Its tentacle started to shrivel as a result of getting its limbs chopped off. It could not defend itself from the oncoming blades and arrows.

The doll fell to the ground in several pieces. The gelatin-like creature crawled away from the doll's head, still trying to escape. It quickly dried and the crust crumbled away. The Soul Candy had been reduced to dust now laying powerless among the grass and stone.

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	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25:**

It was hard to breathe. The hole in his chest prevented his lungs from filling with air. It all leaked out, making him feel dizzy. He fell to his knees, trying to draw in breath.

His breathing grew easier and Ichigo turned his head, seeing Orihime behind him closing the wound. "Thanks," he gasped weakly and let her continue.

He looked around for his friends. They were gathered around the broken doll, staring at it as if it were about to spring to life again. Hisagi gave one of the broken limbs a soft kick, seeing if it would move. None of the fragments held any life in them. The doll was a pile of broken plastic again.

Ichigo struggled to his feet and walked over to see for himself. The doll was in pieces. Long cracks running through the arms and legs, fragments scattered around them and the hollow torso with the giant hole cut through it. The doll's head had been severed, a large hole in the side of its face. Broken pieces had fallen into the empty head and lay there like eggshells in a bird's nest. Whatever had been giving this doll life was gone now. Ichigo saw the dust a few inches away from the plastic, evidence of the desperate creature still trying to get away and latch on to a new host. It did not succeed.

Yuzu. Where was she?

Ichigo lifted his head and spotted his sister where she had been all this while.

If this Soul Candy wasn't enough to keep him from his sister, neither were his sore body and bloody limbs. Ichigo hobbled over to the last remaining member of the group.

Nikko kept his eyes on her like a faithful guardian. He brushed the dirt off her sweater and made sure she stayed in the shade. He watched her breathe.

Hearing footsteps, Nikko looked up. Instead of seeing a companion, he saw Ichigo. He was coming closer.

Nikko picked Yuzu up in his arms and held her to his chest as if Ichigo were the enemy. As if he were the kidnapper.

He gave Ichigo a fearful look, dreading he would take her away from him.

Obviously, it was true. Ichigo had every intention of taking Yuzu from him.

Only, things were different now.

Ichigo stopped in his tracks and stared at Nikko. The look on his face left Ichigo feeling remorseful. Almost as if he were the bad guy.

The look of sorrow and fear in Nikko's eyes made Ichigo hesitate. They pleaded with him silently, begging him not to take her.

A brother wanting his sister. So desperate and lonely.

This man was no enemy.

Yes, he took her, but he kept her safe. He did not attack them. Not once.

He just wanted his little sister.

Ichigo understood him.

Knowing this, he could not strike. What was the point? Nikko wasn't an enemy.

Ichigo felt someone walk up beside him. He turned to look at the red-haired Lieutenant.

This was the last of them. Once this man was taken care of, there would be no one left to keep Yuzu from her family.

That was the look in his eyes as he stared down at Nikko. Renji understood who Nikko was. He was an enemy. Simple as that. He was holding Ichigo's kidnapped sister. He was the last obstacle standing between them and Yuzu.

All the others were gone. Nikko was the only one remaining.

But that wasn't how Ichigo saw it.

Renji raised his sword, preparing to finish the job.

"Wait!" Ichigo held out his arm to stop him.

Renji stopped his swing but moved slightly to one side to swing around Ichigo's arm. "Don't worry, I won't hit her."

"Just wait," Ichigo pressed. "Wait."

Ichigo didn't raise his voice this time, but it was spoken as an order. Renji paused, unconsciously obeying the order though Ichigo had no power over him. Something in his voice told Renji to listen.

He lowered his sword and stepped back, annoyed at his own compliance and at the same time curious to see what Ichigo would do.

Ichigo lowered his arm and turned his back to Renji. He faced Nikko and did what he had to do.

Nikko wrapped his arms tightly around Yuzu like a child unwilling to relinquish a cherished toy. Ichigo saw this as a stubborn move but also knew that this was an act of desperation.

Nikko had finally found what he wanted. At long last he had his sister back, or at the very least someone who closely resembled her. Now this stranger wanted to take her away from him. He had been through so much already. The things he had done to get to this point and before he had met those people who formed his group.

This was the closest he had ever come to having his sister back. Who was Ichigo to deny him his last chance? To keep him from what he desired most? All he wished for was his sister. Was Ichigo cruel enough to take her from him?

Without the doll, he had nothing. That doll reminded him of her. It was the one thing connecting them though they were so far apart. Yuzu was all he had now. She would be his new doll. His new sister.

Ichigo understood. As a brother himself, he understood. He also understood that these were all replacements. Things Nikko settled for.

The doll may have helped him maintain his sanity for this long, but it also drove him to take someone else's sister. He acted on sheer desperation. If all he had was that doll to keep him company and memories, Nikko must have been very lonely. Very desperate.

Ichigo knelt beside Nikko and looked at Yuzu. "She does look a bit like the doll, doesn't she?" he said gently. "A good reference. That doll belonged to your sister, didn't it? You did a good job taking care of it for so long. I bet just having it nearby reminded you of your sister. You don't have a photograph of her so that's all you had. Am I right?"

Ichigo didn't know exactly how many years Nikko had been searching for her, but he knew it was a long time. Long enough to have her face start to fade ever so slightly. He still remembered what she looked like, but over the years, it was possible that his sister's face changed. As the years passed and Nikko became more desperate, soon any girl her age and with similar features would start to look like her.

Perhaps Nikko was so desperate to believing he finally found her, he was willing to convince himself that it was her. Or perhaps he knew this couldn't have been her but felt this was the closest he'd ever come after searching for so many years that he was willing to accept her as a replacement. Anything not to be alone anymore. Those people he was with probably didn't help much in that department either. They could have taken advantage of his fragile state and convinced him to accept a replacement.

"What was your sister's name?" Ichigo asked him.

Nikko didn't answer. As he clung to Yuzu, he rubbed her shoulder with his thumb. He wouldn't look at Ichigo.

"That girl you have there… Her name is Yuzu," Ichigo told him gently. "She looks a bit like the doll. I heard that your sister also looked similar. But the person you're holding is my sister. I'm sorry, but her name is Yuzu. She's my sister."

Nikko shut his eyes tight and held her close.

"I've been looking for her for a while. You're looking for your sister, too. Isn't that right? You never stopped after all this time. You must love her a lot."

Nikko opened his eyes slightly, but he still wouldn't look at him.

"When Yuzu went missing, I was half crazy looking for her. I've been searching for two days hoping to get her back. That was torture for me. But you…" Ichigo leaned closer to Nikko. "You've been searching for your sister for a lot longer. For years. I can't imagine that kind of pain. I have no right to complain when compared to your struggles, and that's putting it mildly. I'm so sorry. You've been suffering for so long. I wasn't myself without my sister. I know you're a similar way, Nikko."

Using his name and being able to relate somewhat seemed to make Nikko more willing to listen to him. He wasn't holding Yuzu as tightly, but he still wouldn't look at him.

"It's been years, right, Nikko?" Ichigo asked him. "Years of not knowing what happened to her. Of not knowing whether or not she's safe or where she is or her condition. Such a feeling is awful. It's… there are no words."

Nikko stroked Yuzu's shoulder again.

"I bet you remember everything about your sister, don't you?" Ichigo asked him. "Her eyes and smile. The way she acted. When she's scared, you comfort her. Right? I know you do. You're a very loving brother. Your sister is unique and special and that's why she's yours. But…"

Ichigo touched the hand that was on Yuzu's shoulder and felt it stop under his palm.

"This is not your sister."

Nikko looked down at Yuzu without a sound.

"You know your sister. You love her. And if you truly understand that, then you know there's no replacing her." Ichigo moved closer. "I know you're desperate and I know you've been searching for so long. And I know you will not stop until you do find her. No matter how long it takes."

Nikko lowered his head, touching his forehead to Yuzu's.

"She has a twin sister and a father waiting for her at home. I searched and searched and now I've found my sister. You understand the pain of losing one and not knowing what happened to her. Please, don't make someone else suffer that pain. I know you know what it does to someone. And as a loving brother, I know you wouldn't want a little sister to suffer. You would never make your sister do something she didn't want to. You wouldn't force her to be scared or sad, right? If Yuzu stays with you, she'll be scared and sad. She'll miss her family and we'll miss her. You wouldn't do that to an innocent girl, someone's sister, would you?"

Nikko shut his eyes tightly and held her.

"Please, Nikko." Ichigo took his hand off Nikko's and moved back slightly. He held out his hands and let Nikko make the difficult choice. "Please let Yuzu come home. Please let me have my sister back."

He hadn't felt the touch of warm flesh in a long time. He hadn't held a young girl in his arms for so long. Not since his sister vanished without a trace. All he carried was a plastic doll and pretended it was her. He believed he was just holding it for her until she came around a corner, but she never did. He was so lonely. He was so sad and worried, always wondering what had become of her.

This girl he held in his arms was the closest he had come to having her back. The flesh felt the same. The hair was the same, the shape of her body was the same. He knew they were two different girls. This one had different eyes and a different smile. The voice was different and even the nose, but only slightly. If he closed his eyes, he could pretend it was her. If he just held her, he could swear it was his sister. She was back in his arms where she belonged.

He could ignore the facial differences, he could ignore the voice and every subtle difference. He could ignore it all.

But he couldn't ignore the feeling.

He could pretend all he wanted, but he knew this wasn't her. He couldn't ignore the fact that he was taking someone else's sister. He wouldn't wish this pain on anyone.

But his relentless searching never turned up fruitful. He never succeeded in finding her, no matter how far he traveled or how long he searched. Years and years have passed and this was all he could find.

He didn't want to go back to searching endlessly as he had been. He wanted the search to end here. But until he found her, he wouldn't stop. Even with Yuzu, he would keep searching. He knew he would.

Ichigo was right, he could never replace her. How could he have let those people talk him into such a thing? He was desperate and exhausted and half crazy. He knew he had been taken advantage of, but if there was even a glimmer of hope, he grasped at it with both hands.

He wanted so much to believe…

Nikko opened his eyes and took one last look at Yuzu before handing her to Ichigo. He passed her gently into Ichigo's arms, watching her leave his hands and fall into Ichigo's.

For the first time in days, Ichigo embraced his sister. He inhaled her scent and felt her body press against his.

He had her back.

"Yuzu…" He rested his head against hers and held her.

Moments later, Ichigo passed her off to Orihime to be looked at. Ichigo watched her move from him to his friends and how they all gathered around her. They all wanted to make sure she was ok.

Ichigo looked back at Nikko. "Thank you."

Nikko was finally looking at him and it broke his heart.

Nikko was crying.

He finally had her and he had to give her back. Now he was utterly alone and had to begin his search all over again.

Nikko hung his head and wept, his tears falling like raindrops to his knees and hands.

This went beyond pity. Ichigo didn't just feel sorry for him. He understood him. There had to be something he could do.

He saw Renji move closer with his sword.

"There's no reason to kill him," Ichigo said. "We got Yuzu back."

"It doesn't matter," said Renji. "The guy still kidnapped her and put us through a lot of trouble. Something has to be done. We can't just let him go on his merry way."

"The guy's been through enough," Ichigo said firmly. "Even if you do let him go free, it's not like you think. He's suffering. Even now, he's being punished."

"Don't fall for the tears. I had no idea you were such a wimp."

"I know what he's going through. In case you had your head up your ass, I have been looking for my little sister, too. The guy's been searching and nothing for years. He's desperate and alone."

"What makes you think he won't try to go after your sister again once we let him go? Or go after someone else's sister for that matter? We can't just let him roam free."

"The guy doesn't know what happened to his sister," Ichigo snapped. "He searched from one place to the next and no luck. He's been searching and searching for years. He's never stopped. Look what it's reduced him to. He's mute and sad and lonely and desperate. All he had was a doll. He had no one to help him through this. At least I had you guys and Yuzu was only missing for a couple of days. He's been looking for his sister for years! Cut the guy some slack. Who's to say I wouldn't have ended up the same way? Or you or someone else for that matter? Can you imagine what kind of hell he's been through? Searching and never knowing? The fear, the worry, the grief? Even blaming himself."

"We all heard the story. We don't have to hear it again."

"It's a factor! It's important! I don't think you realize."

"I don't care! He still did what he did!"

"He was manipulated! If those guys hadn't come along, he might never have done this."

Renji glared at him and sighed through his nose. "It's not your call." Renji stepped aside, "Captain, what are your orders?"

Byakuya stood behind Renji. He had been so quiet, Ichigo had no idea he was there.

Orihime's treatments seemed to have worked and Byakuya was able to stand without help.

"Captain, what should we do with Nikko?" asked Renji. "We can let him go, which is what Ichigo wants. His crimes are punishable by imprisonment or we could even kill him. How do you want to handle it?"

The decision of what to do with Nikko was left in his hands. He was a Captain. Whatever he said, they would do.

Byakuya looked at the man quietly sobbing on the ground with nothing in his arms. Not a doll nor a person. Nikko was utterly alone. He wasn't a threat, but there was the possibility of him going after another girl. Byakuya was impressed with the way Ichigo handled the situation and even got his sister back without a fight. He had a feeling Ichigo's words got through to Nikko and he wouldn't go after an innocent girl again. However, if another questionable party came along to corrupt him, that could all change. Nikko wouldn't have done what he did if he hadn't been convinced by someone in a less fragile state.

The desperation of trying to find a missing sister struck a chord with Byakuya. In light of all the evidence and from personal experience, Byakuya could not see Nikko as an enemy. He was not a danger.

"Nikko is not to be harmed, but he will be brought back to the Seireitei with us. Not as a prisoner, but simply to discuss what to do with him from this moment on."

Surprised by his answer, Renji fumbled for the words. "Uh… Y- Yes, Captain."

Byakuya turned and walked away.

Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at Byakuya's back. He was thankful to have someone take his side on the matter. Byakuya seemed to understand him.

Nikko was forced to stand, pulled to his feet by two Soul Reapers. They kept a firm grip on his arms as they marched back to the Seireitei.

Nikko kept his eyes on the ground as they walked. The Soul Reapers were moving faster than his legs would allow him to travel, causing him to stumble several times and drag his feet. It was unclear if he couldn't keep up with them because he didn't want to or because his tremendous sadness wouldn't let him.

Before rejoining his friends and checking on his sister, Ichigo asked, or rather told, the two Soul Reapers to slow their pace for Nikko's sake. They seemed unwilling until Ichigo reminded them that none of their injuries came from Nikko. Since he showed no animosity towards them and wasn't putting up a fight, they had no reason to be rough with him.

They slowed their pace ever so slightly, but it was enough to satisfy Ichigo.

* * *

Please review! ^-^


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26:**

Yuzu was returned to the World of the Living, surrounded by Ichigo and his friends. Orihime continued to treat Yuzu when they arrived at the Kurosaki Clinic. She said that Yuzu's injuries weren't too bad, but she did have a concussion which she was being treated for.

Ichigo did not leave her side. He stayed with her until she regained consciousness. He bent over the bed when he saw her open her eyes.

"Yuzu," he said gently, trying to mask his concern and failing. His tone was gentle, but the pitch was higher than it should have been, revealing his worry. "You ok?"

Yuzu grabbed Ichigo's sleeve and gave him a worried look. "Are you ok, Ichigo?" Her eyes were wide and fearful. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"Me? I…"

"Those two guys who came into our house," she said worriedly. "Did they hurt you? Are you ok? What happened to them?"

"Uh… I…"

The attack was two days ago. Yuzu must have been unconscious the entire time. She had no idea what happened. Since she had woken up back in their home, she was never aware she had been kidnapped. As far as she knew, she had never left this building.

Ichigo put his hand on hers, trying to get her to loosen her grip on his shirt and reassure her at the same time.

"They're gone now." He gave her a smile. "Chased them off."

"You did?" She did not loosen her grip. "But are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine. I'm ok, Yuzu."

She loosened her grip and let out a huge sigh of relief. "Thank goodness."

"But you hit your head," Ichigo told her. "We brought you here to make sure you were ok."

"You did?"

"Yeah. My friends and I have all been taking care of you."

It was the truth. She had been in good hands, even if they weren't his. Nikko had done an excellent job of taking care of her. He protected her when Ichigo couldn't. Aside from Nikko, everyone had done their part to help her recover. His friends all helped bring her back home safely.

"How are you feeling?" Ichigo asked her. "Are you in any pain?"

Yuzu shook her head. "No."

Ichigo gave her a small hug. "Don't scare me like that," he whispered to her. "I just about lost it when you got hurt."

"Just about?" Uryu mouthed with a raised eyebrow, overhearing the whisper.

"I'm fine, Ichigo. I'm ok."

"Yeah. I know."

Ichigo stayed with her until he was certain she would be alright without him holding her hand. When she wanted to get dinner started, Ichigo insisted on helping. Something he never did. She told him he didn't have to, but he wanted to make sure she wasn't doing too much too soon. He knew he couldn't stop her from doing her regular chores so the next best thing was helping her do them so she wouldn't overwork herself.

He kept an eye on her all evening, even checking on her when she went to bed that night.

Karin had returned home and waited until her twin was out of earshot before telling Ichigo that she had come home to an empty house and a mess in the kitchen and living room. She knew something had happened. Knowing Ichigo would return home at some point, she cleaned up and waited for their return. She thanked him for bringing Yuzu home safe and left it at that.

Ichigo understood. She didn't have to say anything else.

"I wasn't worried," she told him before going to bed herself. "I knew you'd be back. You always come back."

She was. She just didn't want to admit it.

Ichigo slept off and on that night, checking on his sisters every few minutes to make sure they were still in their beds. Ichigo slept soundly the rest of the night, certain that they would still be there in the morning. It was good to have his sisters together again.

* * *

The next morning, things seemed to return to normal. Ichigo sat at the table and waited for his breakfast. This morning, Karin was helping Yuzu cook the meal. When Yuzu inquired about the new video game her sister had to have, Karin told her that she planned on playing it after they ate.

The three of them ate together and talked. Ichigo enjoyed their company. As usual, he didn't lead the conversation.

Someone knocked on the door and Yuzu flinched, hoping it wasn't another attack.

Ichigo got up and went to the door to answer it. Yuzu followed behind him with a frying pan in her hands.

"It's ok, Yuzu. It's just Uryu."

She lowered her weapon and went back to the kitchen.

"What's up?" Ichigo asked the boy on the front step.

"You have to come back to the Soul Society," Uryu told him in a hushed tone so his sisters wouldn't hear. "Kisuke says it's important."

"Right now?"

"Yes, now. Hurry up."

Had something happened with Nikko? The Soul Candy remains? Ichigo had to find out.

"I'll be back later, guys," Ichigo called into the house before leaving with the Quincy.

They hurried to Kisuke's shop where they were quickly transported to the other world. Rukia was waiting for them and brought them to a different location. She shoved them into a room and told them to wait.

Ichigo and Uryu exchanged looks, wondering what was going on. Though Uryu had told Ichigo it was important, he hadn't been given any further information than that. He had no idea what was so important. Only to fetch Ichigo.

Ichigo turned around and saw Nikko sitting by the window with the same sad expression as before.

"Hey, Nikko."

He didn't say anything back.

Ichigo wanted to thank him and let him know that Yuzu was home and happily reunited with her family, but he thought that might make Nikko upset seeing as how he had no family. Rather than rub salt in the wound, Ichigo left it at that. It was well-intentioned, but he knew Nikko probably wouldn't appreciate it.

Rukia returned and told Ichigo and Uryu to bring Nikko with them as she brought them to a new location.

She was moving quickly, excited about something, but Nikko kept his usual slow pace. Rukia wouldn't slow down, so to keep from losing either of them, Ichigo grabbed Nikko's wrist and pulled him along. He wasn't rough with him as he pulled him down the hall. He even encouraged Nikko to hurry up, telling him it was ok.

If Nikko was involved, did this mean that they had finally decided what to do with him? Byakuya said that he wasn't a prisoner, but that could have changed. If that were the case then Rukia shouldn't have been so excited. It could have been something else. She wasn't smiling, but her pace suggested that something was taking place. Maybe she was just bustling around because she was under orders to move quickly.

But why? What was so time-sensitive that they had to hurry like this?

Rukia brought them outside and stopped in a courtyard. She stepped to the side and gestured with her hand to a woman standing in the yard.

"Yoruichi?" Ichigo questioned. "What are you doing here?"

"I had been doing some traveling and had just returned to share a drink with Kisuke when he told me what had been going on the past few days."

"So…" Ichigo wondered what this had to do with anything. "You mean about my sister and the Soul Candies? That's been resolved. Thanks for coming to help but you're a little late."

"There's still something I can do," she assured him. "Kisuke told me the names of the people you were with. The Soul Candy sounded charming."

Ichigo couldn't tell if she was being serious.

"But he also mentioned a guy named Nikko. Carried a doll with him everywhere he goes."

Ichigo glanced up, then looked at the man standing beside him.

"This him?" Yoruichi asked. "Is this the guy?"

"Yeah, this is Nikko. The doll broke, though. Long story."

"Ah." Yoruichi smiled gently at him. "I hear you're looking for your sister."

Nikko looked up at her.

"I think I might have some information."

Ichigo's eyes lit up. "You know what happened to her?"

Yoruichi nodded. "It was some time ago. I heard about her story."

Ichigo and the others listened closely to Yoruichi's story.

"Based on what I've heard and what Kisuke mentioned when you told him what was going on, I managed to piece things together. Nikko was the first to die that day. His sister survived and was taken away in an ambulance. She died sometime later. She died sometime after he did and was sent to the Soul Society days after he was which was why they were separated. She was doing the same thing he was the moment she arrived. She asked anyone who would listen if they had seen her older brother. The people in that District weren't very kind and no one would help her. She had nowhere to go. She had no home and no family. She was alone and scared when someone found her huddled up between buildings. They took pity on her and told her she could come with them."

"Who was it?" Ichigo asked.

"A noble," answered Yoruichi. "A noble had found her and offered her a position in their family's manor. She was told that she could live there until her brother was found. The nobles treated her very well, offering her a roof and food so long as she worked. It's hard work, but I hear she enjoys living there and the noble family is very nice to her. She's been working there ever since."

Ichigo clenched his fists. "Then she must still be there. Where is this noble family? We have to find them."

"No worries," said Yoruichi. "I happen to know exactly where she is. I even know the noble family she's with."

"Yeah?" Ichigo asked. "Where?"

He wondered how long it would take to get there. Nikko had searched this long. What was one more hike?

"Where is she?"

Yoruichi smiled and stepped aside.

Ichigo blinked.

Standing behind Yoruichi had been a thin girl in a heart splattered kimono. She had straw-colored eyes and her hair style matched Yuzu's perfectly.

Aside from a few differences, she really did look like the doll.

A sobbing gasp was heard on Ichigo's right and he turned his head just in time to see Nikko fall to his knees.

"Yuka!" Nikko cried.

This was the first time any of them had heard Nikko speak.

The girl in front of him screamed in delight, bounced and came running. "Big brother!"

Nikko spread his arms and she flew into them.

Nikko cradled her, squeezing her tightly to his chest and sobbed. The girl's wails were muffled by his chest as they held each other. Nikko rocked from side to side, letting his tears fall onto her head. He kept one arm wrapped around her back while the other wandered from her shoulder to her neck until finally burying into her locks of short pale brown hair.

Ichigo watched the reunited siblings for a moment, overwhelmed by their emotional embrace. This time, Nikko was crying out of joy. Ichigo could only feel a fraction of what they were both feeling in that moment. He was happy for both of them.

"Then…" Ichigo looked at Yoruichi. "The noble family was..?"

"Mine." She smiled proudly. "I was the one who found her all those years ago. I invited her to stay at the manor since we could always use an extra hand. My brother can be a handful. I saw how the people were treating her in that village and I felt terrible for her. Even if I told them off, they would just go back to doing what they were doing the moment I left. Nothing would be resolved. She still had to live there. So I thought, why should she? I offered her a better place to live. My family treats all our servants well so I thought she could serve the family as a chore girl or something. She was so young I knew they would treat her well and not expect too much from her in the beginning. They wouldn't yell at her for messing something up. They would be understanding. She says she likes it there. She's treated very well."

"So all this time, she's been at your place?" Ichigo stared at her. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"About what? I didn't know Nikko was one of those people until Kisuke told me. Yuka told me about her brother years ago when I first picked her up. She said he had dark hair, went by the name of Nikko and that was pretty much it. I travel a lot, so I figured I could keep an eye out for him while I did my thing and let her know what I found. I do come home every now and again."

Ichigo looked back at the two crying and laughing siblings. "So you only found out when Kisuke mentioned it to you?"

"That's right," she said. "He said that there was a guy with dark hair and his name was Nikko and he carried around a doll that looks sort of like your sister and his. Yuka told me that she used to have a doll that looked similar to her but she lost it and didn't know what happened to it. It comforted her when Nikko wasn't around so she felt especially sad when she didn't have either when she came to the Soul Society. When Kisuke also told me that Nikko was looking for his missing sister, I knew it had to be him. All the pieces fit. I went home, told Yuka that I may have found her brother and she was out the door in a second to confirm."

Ichigo smiled. "Thanks, Yoruichi."

"Ah, don't thank me. Kisuke's the one you should be thanking. If he hadn't mentioned Nikko, I never would have known. You should also thank Byakuya-boy. I hear he's the one who made the call to bring Nikko here unharmed. If you had simply released him, the search would have continued. This way he was easy to find."

Ichigo nodded. "Yeah. I suppose I should thank him."

"But what now?" asked Uryu. "What's going to happen with Nikko and his sister?"

Yoruichi had an answer for that as well. "My family is very fond of little Yuka. I'd hate to see her leave. Especially if she's going to be wandering around with her brother with no roof over their heads. I think I have a solution."

Yoruichi stepped forward and bent down next to the two siblings. Nikko and Yuka lifted their heads to look at her.

"Nikko, how would you like to come live with Yuka at my family's manor? You'll be doing chores like she does. It'll be hard work, but the roof and meals are included. This way the two of you can stay together. How about it?"

Yuka looked at Nikko, nodding her head up and down. "That'll be great! You'll love it there. They're very nice and the manor is huge!"

It sounded like Yuka had made the decision for Nikko, but Nikko had already made his choice, whether she said something or not. He was going to be with her no matter where she went.

Nikko nodded his head.

"Great. Happy to have you." Yoruichi gave him a slap on the back and he yelped in pain.

Ichigo looked around. "There's something I have to do before heading home. I'll catch up with you guys later."

As Ichigo passed Nikko and Yuka, he heard a small voice thank him. He paused just for a moment to turn around and see Nikko's smile.

Seeing that once sad face lit up with joy made Nikko's smile even more powerful. And his gratitude.

Ichigo no longer felt depressed or full of pity when he saw him. He felt content.

He nodded to Nikko and continued on his way.

* * *

"I cannot believe they didn't bring it back alive! I asked for one thing! One simple thing! Is that too much to ask?"

Ichigo could hear Mayuri yelling from down the hall and questioned whether or not he should come into the lab. Since he came all this way, it seemed a shame to leave without speaking to the Captain. He didn't enjoy his conversations with Mayuri on a regular basis, but they were more tolerable when he was in a better mood.

"Uh, Mayuri?"

Nemu was standing near the Captain, catching the random items he was throwing in his fit. They both stopped what they were doing when he entered.

"You couldn't bring it back alive?" Mayuri asked him, annoyed. "Once I found out there was a second Soul Candy, I was really excited. Now I discover that you cleaved it in two and then some. Why couldn't you have detained it and brought it back for me to study? What the hell where you doing out there?"

"Trying to stay alive. And I wasn't the one who killed it. We all had a part in it."

Mayuri sighed, shaking his head. "Never send a group of ingrates to do a scientist's job."

"At least we brought them back in bottles."

"Yes, I suppose I have that." Mayuri looked at one of the bottles on the shelf behind him. "A living sample would have been better, but I suppose it will do."

The bottle Mayuri was looking at had a label on it Ichigo couldn't read. On the shelf directly below the first bottle was a second labeled 'Kenji'.

"What are you planning to do with them?" Ichigo asked.

"The Head Captain ordered them all to be destroyed. Technically, they're no longer functioning so I suppose they would fit the bill, as it were. They're just dust now. I count that as being destroyed. Otherwise, the remains will be poured out into a vat of fire and they will be incinerated. I don't really see a point, though."

Ichigo was under the suspicion that Mayuri didn't want to finish them off, not because it was overkill, but because this way he would have something to study. Even if it was only dust.

Either way, Ichigo was grateful that Mayuri didn't want to eliminate them completely. At least, not Kenji.

"He saved me, you know," Ichigo said to Mayuri's back. He just had to say it out loud. He had to credit Kenji for what he had done and how far he had come. Praising him as a hero was the best way to honor him since there wasn't much else anyone would do for him.

"During the battle?" Mayuri said without turning around. "I heard. The Quincy gave me this bottle and told me what happened. He said, if it was possible, not to damage Kenji further. He didn't want me to throw him in the trash or incinerate him. I never thought the Quincy had any respect or compassion for the creature. I'm a bit surprised."

Was Uryu doing it for the sake of his good conscience, or because he knew it was what Ichigo wanted? Ichigo had a feeling Uryu was doing it for his sake. He knew how much Ichigo cared about Kenji from their conversations.

"From the moment I met him, Kenji said that he didn't care about anyone but himself," said Ichigo. "He said it over and over again, as if I didn't hear him the first time. Or maybe he was just trying to convince himself. I mean… He did save me. He didn't have to. He put himself at risk for someone else. I don't think he would have done that before."

Mayuri nodded. "They were designed to develop quickly. To learn and grow. It was intended for battle, but perhaps the adapting capability covered beyond simple combat." He shrugged. "Then again, they also had a will to survive. I suppose learning how to connect with others is a key point in one's survival."

"So you're saying he could become more social. I had a feeling. I was seeing it happen."

Mayuri turned around. "We never did finish the experiment. Now I'm wishing we had. More than ever. The things we're discovering about them now is truly fascinating. They had so much potential. I mean, when they discovered that they were going to be sacrificed for the sake of data, they rebelled to defend themselves. Kenji was all about keeping himself alive, just as they were, but he learned to care for something other than himself. He was beginning to understand, from the sound of things. I would have liked to study this further. Especially that other one. The one hiding inside the doll."

"They were two completely different Soul Candies," Ichigo told him. "This one was fully developed but he had no compassion. He didn't care about anyone other than himself and…"

He knew exactly why it wanted Yuzu. It all made sense.

"It just wanted to survive. It wanted to be safe." Ichigo looked up at Mayuri. "That's what they all wanted. That was their motivation. To survive. That was why they rebelled in the first place. Once they learned they were going to be killed for the sake of science, they wanted to escape. Just like anybody would. The Soul Candy in the doll wanted Yuzu in order to keep itself safe. It wanted the ideal body so it could survive. It was scared."

"Scared?"

"It wasn't satisfied with just any body. It wanted one that was powerful enough to take on any danger and one that would survive the longest. That's why it wanted Aizen at first. He was powerful and gained immortality. But the Soul Candy knew Aizen had been defeated, so it figured, to its logic, that Aizen wasn't as strong as it thought. That's why it wanted the person who defeated him. Whoever comes out on top is the strongest, right?"

"Host hopping," said Mayuri. "Like a crustacean that outgrows its shell and searches for a new one. It wants the one that will benefit it the most. Instead of running out of space in a shell, the Soul Candy was searching for a stronger host to take control of in order to protect itself from danger. It wanted a host with enough power to ward off any threat. It's survival skills are very interesting."

Mayuri looked Ichigo up and down.

"Then why didn't it go after you?" he asked. "Sure, you had help since Aizen was so powerful, but ultimately, you were the one who defeated him."

"It wanted my sister because she was younger so she was more likely to live longer, statistically. It also sensed the danger of coming after me, knowing I was so powerful. It knew it stood a chance of losing. It also thought that I had reached my ultimate potential. That I couldn't learn anything new. That I wouldn't get any stronger than I already am. It wanted a host that could still learn and adapt. It figured that Yuzu would already have all my powers, but it could train her up to be even stronger than myself."

"But you don't share any powers with your sister."

"That's what I told it, but it didn't believe me."

Mayuri nodded his head. "Also interesting. It understands the concept of lying. It thought you were just saying that to get it to give her up. Thought you were withholding information. It wasn't gullible. It's logic and reasoning involving a sibling sharing powers with its brother and the possibility of limited obtainable power shows how it thinks. Very mechanical."

Mayuri started to write things down in the notebook Nemu had brought over to him.

Ichigo listened to the pen scratching against the paper, staying quiet so Mayuri could concentrate. The pen stopped scratching, but Mayuri was still concentrating, moving the pen from one part of the page to the next.

"Same creatures, different outcomes," he finally said. "The Soul Candy inside the doll was fully developed, therefore, given its creation, it could not learn anything new functionality-wise. Meaning that it could not change its outlook. Kenji was still developing, so he was able to see things from different perspectives. He was able to change his outlook. He also seemed to be able to reason that some things have limitations and others can overcome them. Interesting."

Ichigo stepped closer, wanting Mayuri to hear this. "I think Kenji was becoming more human. I think, if he had been given more time, he could have."

Mayuri's pen froze on the page. "You're right. How foolish. Ha. How maddening to think that you would see it before I did."

Mayuri closed the notebook, the pen marking the page he was on, and started to walk around the laboratory.

"We were too quick to dismiss the project. Damn that Head Captain. We could have done so much with this."

Ichigo could see Mayuri's head as it bobbed between the bookshelves and around machines.

"I would have called you an utter moron if I hadn't the pleasure of meeting Kenji in person. He matched perfectly with some of the notes from back then, but in other ways, there were subtle differences. Seeing and hearing how far he's come within a short while, he no longer matches what the notes dictate later on. This can only lead to one possible conclusion."

"Which is?"

Mayuri reappeared, walking around a large machine and over to the table near Ichigo.

"That the Soul Candies could have the potential to become more human," he said. "They're already so different from other Soul Candies. The materials they were created from, their developmental capabilities and so on. Given enough time and proper exposure, they could have become indistinguishable from humans."

"Really?"

"Kenji was already showing signs. He put self-preservation aside to help another. He developed feelings. You even said that he smiled. No Soul Candy had been able to display any sort of emotion before. We thought they were incapable of facial expressions. The doll, however, showed a wide range of emotions, from what I was told. Given the two, I think it is possible. Ah, these things are far more complex than we realized. If only I had been Captain back then, I could have argued against their destruction. Not that anyone listens to me anyway. No matter how right I am."

At the risk of starting something he couldn't finish, Ichigo had to say what was on his mind. Even if it came across as a lecture.

"You know, the Head Captain might not have ordered their destruction if you guys had handled them better."

Mayuri turned his head. "What's that?"

"I mean, you told me that in the very beginning they were very compliant. Did as they were told and didn't fuss. It was only when you guys started hacking them apart that they decided to rebel. They saw you killing them for data. They didn't want to die. Can you blame them?"

"As I told you before, we wanted to see how durable they were. If there was a way to kill them or if they would take damage if their host body did. It seemed unavoidable. How else would we have gotten that data?"

"But I'm saying that it's kind of your own fault the project was dismissed. It's certainly your fault for them rebelling. I mean, you're killing them in front of each other. You really think you could make them watch something like that and they wouldn't get any ideas in their heads? That they wouldn't want to run away or fight back?"

"We didn't think they would do that."

"You just said they were intelligent and capable of learning and you didn't think it would happen? Even a wild animal will react the same way if they saw another animal being killed in front of it. It's probably going to think it's next and has to make a break for it any way that it can."

Mayuri wanted to argue, but he knew Ichigo was right for a second time in the past ten minutes.

"I'll admit, things could have been handled better," he said. "Just keep in mind, I keep telling you that I was not involved. I merely read their notes and heard the stories."

"But if you guys decide to do the project over again or do a similar one, you know the changes you need to make. Right?"

Mayuri didn't react at first. Then, he looked from Ichigo to the bottle behind him and back at Ichigo. "Are you suggesting that I revive Kenji in some way?"

"Actually, I wasn't." Then Ichigo said, "But if it were possible…"

Mayuri looked back at the bottle.

"Can you do it?"

"He's just dust now," Mayuri told him. "It's doubtful."

"I was just asking. But if nothing else, since Kenji did what he did and all, could you make sure his remains are not tossed away? Out of respect."

Mayuri looked at him as if Ichigo had told the Captain to put on a dress. "You want me to have a memorial for him? Or a grave?"

"I get that he was just an experiment. At least, to you and everyone else. But to me he was more than that. Even if he was artificial, inside he wasn't."

"Before, you wanted to kill the guy because you felt betrayed. He was acting according to his nature. And that surprised you? Now you feel bad and want to honor him? Is that it?"

"He called me his friend," Ichigo told the Captain. "He protected me. Possibly saved my life. And we just agreed that he was becoming more human. Why shouldn't we? I think he deserves this much."

Mayuri sighed loudly, as if Ichigo were asking for too much.

From a scientist's perspective, it seemed silly to say the least to treat each and every experiment as if it were human. They tossed out whatever didn't work right and moved on. They didn't keep them. If they honored every failed experiment that way, there would be no room to move.

Mayuri was also guilty of this custom of creating, using and then tossing it away. He only kept samples of the important things and records of others. Those alone took up space, which was why his lab was so big and why he had multiples of them. Just to accommodate the stored files and working experiments. He had no room for failures.

Kenji was not a failed experiment, but he was ordered to be destroyed by the Head Captain. Given this, it seemed ridiculous to keep something that was not only supposed to be done away with some time ago, but also was no longer functioning. Why keep something that was broken?

Then again, Kenji was different.

"Oh, alright," said Mayuri. "He's no longer active and since he's dust, he never will be, so there's no danger in keeping him around. He's just as good as being destroyed, only we're not throwing him away. You happy?"

"Thank you." Ichigo knew he probably wasn't going to do any better than this. Mayuri was reluctant to give him this much. If he asked Mayuri to give Kenji a grave, that would be pushing it. The fact that Kenji wasn't going to be thrown away was good enough for Ichigo. He could settle for this.

He believed Kenji would be satisfied by not being tossed into a vat of fire. Ichigo was happy he managed this much.

Now he had just one more place to go before returning home.

One more person needed his thanks.

* * *

Please review! ^-^


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27:**

Rather than knock, Ichigo went right into Byakuya's office. The Captain looked very annoyed by this but continued shuffling papers.

"Thanks, Byakuya," Ichigo told him.

"I know you are not thanking me for saying you could come in after knocking, so tell me what you are thanking me for."

"Sassy."

Byakuya looked up. "What do you want?" he said with a scowl.

"I wanted to thank you. For helping me out back there with Nikko. For not killing him."

Byakuya looked down again. "I didn't do it for you. I saw no point in killing someone who wasn't a threat. Other than stand there, he really hadn't done anything."

Ichigo was sure Byakuya was making an excuse. "Either way, because of what you did back there, Nikko was able to find his sister. Turns out Yoruichi had taken her in some time ago and the family's been looking after her. She said Nikko could come live with them as well."

"Then I suppose it all worked out." Byakuya set a file aside before grabbing another one off the pile.

"I'm kind of surprised you would take my side in this," Ichigo told him. "With Nikko and all."

"As I said before, I did not do it for you."

"Then why? I find it hard to believe you would be so lenient just because the guy didn't take part in the battle and only stood there. There has to be another reason."

"It wasn't on your request," Byakuya told him without looking up. "I just took pity on him. That's all."

"Why?"

Byakuya still didn't look up from his work but he wasn't filling anything out, either. He just wouldn't look at him.

"Let's just say," Byakuya told him, "I felt sorry for Nikko having to search for his younger sister and what it was doing to him. Searching and not knowing. The sadness and longing. I didn't want him to suffer any more than he already was. To have him die without ever knowing what happened to her. I didn't see a point."

Ichigo cocked his head. "But why would that matter so much to you?" he asked.

Byakuya looked up at him. "Despite what you may think of me, I am not a cruel man."

"I didn't say you were. I just thought…"

Byakuya looked back down. "Given the circumstances, technically, there is no law against what Nikko did that is punishable by death. Since he did not fight and seemed to be taking care of the hostage, one could argue that he was merely a bystander in all this. Now that he's found his sister and has a place to go, the matter is settled. Now would you kindly leave me to my work?"

Ichigo ignored the last thing Byakuya said.

"Other people thought he was an enemy, like Renji."

"We both know Renji isn't that bright."

"He wasn't the only one who felt this way."

"Since Nikko handed your sister over to you willingly, there is an argument for his actions being those of a manipulated man," said Byakuya. "He wasn't thinking clearly. He was manipulated by the enemy which meant he wasn't our true target. Now let me be."

Rather than leave, Ichigo thought about what Byakuya just said.

"They were all manipulated," said Ichigo. "By the doll. The Soul Candy inside the doll was the real enemy and the one pulling all their strings when you think about it."

Byakuya tapped his pen impatiently on the desk.

"I mean, the doll convinced Nikko if they did this, he'd have his sister back. The doll influenced Miku, making him think he was helping someone in need without ever knowing the doll was the one he was working for. Miku had no idea the doll was going to take Yuzu for itself. And if the doll hadn't told Miku where to find the other Soul Candies in the lab, Kenji wouldn't have been involved. Everything happened for a reason and every one of them was manipulated in some way into serving the doll. I don't think any of them would have done this if the doll hadn't told them to do it."

"I still find these Soul Candies to be more like Mod Souls than actual Soul Candies that we use on a regular basis." Byakuya sat back in his chair. "But you're right. The one residing in the doll was a manipulator. Now that it's been defeated, the matter is settled."

Ichigo nodded.

He had been manipulated, too. Ichigo realized some time ago that Miku had disguised himself as Keigo at school and suggested everyone hang out after class in order to make sure Ichigo wasn't home, thus making it easier for Miku to take on his form to fool his sisters. That way he could scope the place out without risking the real Ichigo coming home and his sisters finding two of them in the house. If Kenji hadn't been injured and stayed behind, it was possible that Ichigo might never have found out about Miku's changeling powers. His acting was good enough to fool his siblings, he made sure Ichigo wasn't going to be home for the next several hours and he knew when to expect Yuzu to be home, learning that she was the family homemaker. Miku planned everything out meticulously.

"What about Miku?" Ichigo asked. "What becomes of his body? The doll killed him."

"Did you want to take it back to the World of the Living?" Byakuya inquired. "You are free to do so."

Ichigo sighed. "I'd like to. But I have no idea where he came from. He's not from Karakura Town and I know nothing about his family. If his body is brought back to the World of the Living, I could report finding him and the authorities will find his family and inform them. I guess it's better than nothing. I didn't like the guy, but he wasn't all bad. He was trying to help someone."

"In a twisted way."

"Miku never mentioned any siblings. I think he said he was an only child. He grew up in a rough place. I guess not having anything to protect warped him a little bit." Ichigo looked out the window. "When I saw him trying to help Nikko… He's not a bad guy. He just needed a purpose. Not just…"

"Survival?"

Ichigo looked at Byakuya. "Yeah," he said slowly.

Without a feeling of purpose, Miku only fought for his own survival. When he fought to help another, he seemed kinder. Like someone Ichigo could relate to on some level.

Otherwise, he was similar to a Soul Candy.

"Things aren't so black and white, are they?" Ichigo said with a chuckle. "This battle was a bit complicated, don't you think?"

"It tends to be easier to fight an enemy who is evil than one with heart. An enemy bent on destruction and domination rather than a complicated series of circumstances and emotions. But not every fight is that simple."

Ichigo was in agreement. "It is harder to fight someone and see them as an enemy when you know where they're coming from."

Byakuya nodded his head. "True. Thankfully, when we battle Hollows, things are simpler. It's clear what must be done. Be grateful we deal with those more often."

Ichigo nodded. "Thanks again for what you did back there."

"It's hardly worth mentioning," said Byakuya. "Now kindly leave me to my work."

This time, Ichigo obeyed.

* * *

Uryu stood on a balcony, watching the two siblings catch up in the courtyard. He was pleased to see them reunited. It looked like Nikko's tragic story had a happy ending.

It was ironic to think that if Yuzu hadn't been captured in the first place, Nikko might never have found his real sister. It got their attention, that was for sure. But Uryu also knew that things could have taken a different turn. If Ichigo weren't merciful and if Miku didn't watch Nikko's back during the battle, he could have been killed without ever finding his sister. Any stray shot or a ruthless Soul Reaper could have done him in. Uryu wasn't trying to kill them, either. Not even Miku.

If Ichigo hadn't taken the time to ask for their motivation, they might never have known the whole story. Any other Soul Reaper might have shot first without bothering to know the whole story. It also occurred to him that if they hadn't been in touch with Kisuke, he would never have had the information needed to find Nikko's sister. If Kisuke hadn't spoken with Yoruichi and told her the details of their battle and those involved, Nikko's sister might have still gone undiscovered.

"A series of circumstances," Uryu said with a sigh. "I'm glad things worked out for them."

He saw Nikko's smile from where he stood and found himself smiling as well. Nikko had a nice smile. It was a shame it had gone unseen for so long.

Would Ichigo have ended up like him if they hadn't rescued his sister when they did? Uryu couldn't help but wonder that for a moment. Then he realized Ichigo probably wouldn't have become like Nikko. He would carry the pain silently and put on a tough façade. He had already lost his mother at a young age so Ichigo had some experience dealing with loss. Ichigo also had friends to help him through the difficult times. Nikko was all alone. If things had been different and Ichigo had no one to turn to, he might have ended up like Nikko. Thankfully that wasn't the case.

Uryu's smile started to fade as he remembered something Orihime had told him.

While Ichigo had disappeared to speak with Mayuri in the lab, everyone else did their own thing to prepare for battle. Uryu had found Orihime by herself sitting on the floor in the hall. He initially thought that she was worried about Ichigo. She surprised him by admitting that she was actually worried about Kenji.

"Is it because of his strength?" he had asked her. "The power he has?"

Orihime said that wasn't the case. She told Uryu about the question Kenji had asked her about why Ichigo would care so much for one sister and why he did not consider either of them spares in case something happened to one of them. She thought the answer was obvious but Kenji wasn't grasping the concept. She didn't know that Kenji went to ask Ichigo why he cared if she wasn't useful to him. Uryu did, but he didn't tell her about it.

What Uryu didn't know was the question Kenji had later asked Orihime as they were going into battle and before he left to rejoin Miku's group.

The question involved human emotion.

He had asked, "Ichigo told me that life was meant to be enjoyed. What happens when it stops being enjoyable? The pursuit of his sibling leaves Ichigo miserable. I told Ichigo that the battle would be long and dangerous and there was little chance of getting his sibling back. Even if he did, he would have to endure so many hardships. The physical and emotional pain. Such things are not enjoyable. Being without his sibling is also not enjoyable. If he gives up on her, he will save himself pain from battle but suffer emotional pain. If he does not give up his pursuit, then he will have to endure physical and emotional pain. Either one would result in Ichigo's unhappiness. Humans are not happy every moment of their lives. When life is no longer enjoyable, what does this mean for the human?"

Orihime answered his question with a story about her past and what had happened to her older brother. How she lived alone and lost someone very important to her. She shared her emotions with Kenji, hoping he would have a better understanding for why people push on and overcome the pain in their lives.

Instead, Kenji told her that if people become so depressed that they become unable to do anything because of the emotion crushing them then life became meaningless. At that point, it seemed logical. What was the point in living if it was not enjoyable? If the depressed individual no longer found life enjoyable then why live at all? What was the point?

Orihime argued that feelings were fleeting. Though she felt so sad and thought she would never be happy again, she pushed through and found friends who distracted her from her woes and she found a new purpose in life. She found another reason to live.

Kenji still seemed confused, wondering why someone would choose to live knowing they would be sad again. He explained that he had no emotions, therefore it was easier for him to live. Humans were different so he was trying to understand why they did what they did, even knowing the pain they would surely face.

She told him that emotions were fleeting. Good and bad. That didn't mean they should all give up. That was pointless. They were going to feel no matter what. Life was a complicated thing. People were free to choose what to do with what they had been given. The choices were meaningful as far as Orihime was concerned. Some overcame hopelessness and found joy again. Some tried to find their own purpose in life.

She told Kenji this was why Ichigo kept fighting. Why he cared.

Rather than give up, Ichigo continues to pursue the things that bring him joy, even if it means suffering until he achieves that happiness. He does not give up. The pain he feels, as overwhelming as it may be, it is only temporary. He seeks to overcome and chases the feeling of joy. Even in the face of hopelessness, he knows that there is always a way. He will find it, no matter how well-hidden it may be.

That is what makes humans so interesting. How driven they are. No matter how fleeting the emotion, good or bad, humans will continue down the path they have chosen. Having the bad emotions make the good ones even more precious. Even when it seems all is lost and there is no way out, Ichigo does not give up. He uses his strength to find that elusive feeling and hold onto it. He will find happiness, even if he has to create it.

Knowing this inspired Orihime. She already admired Ichigo very much, but his ability to keep going really impressed her. It encouraged her to keep going no matter how tough things got in her life.

She thought Kenji could understand and be inspired as well, but it only made him confused. Rather than be inspired, even moved, he just asked further questions. Orihime tried to make him understand, telling Kenji that Ichigo needed people in his life to help him move forward. To not give up. That loving someone wasn't a hindrance but a blessing. Having others gave Ichigo strength.

Finally, Kenji told her, "I do not have friends. But I am strong. It seems like friendship and feelings are a burden. Yet you claim the opposite. I do not think I can follow this logic."

"I think Kenji's really sad," Orihime told Uryu after she was finished telling him about their conversation. "He says he doesn't have emotions, but I don't think that's true. I think Kenji's sad and lonely. He doesn't have anybody. I already felt sorry for him because of what the Soul Reapers want to do to him, but… Fighting him just doesn't seem right to me. It's easy for me to get it. I guess it's harder for him because he doesn't know what it's like to have friends. I hope one day he gets it."

Uryu knew Orihime was a sensitive girl, but what she said was starting to make some sense to him. He never thought Kenji was sad, but he was struggling to find his own meaning of life. He asked questions constantly and even when he got an answer, he questioned further.

He wasn't human. He was created in a laboratory and given a purpose.

Free from the lab, Kenji was trying to find his own purpose. He wanted to live just like the other Soul Candies created alongside him. The irony was that they didn't know what that meant.

What did it mean to live? Why did they want to live? What was the purpose?

Everyone found their own path in life, so it seemed that the Soul Candies would have to do the same. Just like human beings, different paths yielded different outcomes.

Kenji had people around him whom he learned from. He was with people during his development. He grew to care for others. Even die to protect them.

The Soul Candy in the doll didn't.

Whether he looked at Kenji or Nikko or Miku or the doll or even Ichigo, Uryu saw how people were influenced by others. How the people in their lives affected them in some way. How it all mattered.

Uryu leaned back to look at the sky.

Soul Reaper, human or Quincy. He wouldn't be the same without them in his life.

Tired of philosophical thoughts, Uryu turned to go inside to find Ichigo. It was time for them to go home.

* * *

"Here are the new orders from the Women's Association, Captain Kurotsuchi."

"Leave them over there."

"They say it's urgent."

"Women always say that and it always turns out to be nonsense." Mayuri walked over to the folder and opened it. "Whether I get to it or not won't matter. Women complain no matter what you do."

Mayuri read the papers, scoffing at the suggestions. The other lab techs could tell from the look on his face that their Captain had no intention of fulfilling most of them.

"They want more Chappy Soul Candies. Said they're out."

"They also put in a request for a new type."

"How many do they need?"

"It's more of how many do they want? You only need one type, but ever since their creation, everyone wants verity."

"I can understand that. Can you imagine someone from Squad 11 getting Chappy put in their Gigai?"

"That I'd like to see."

Mayuri closed the folder and set it on the desk. "Chappy is on backorder. Make a note of that. I will, however, fulfill their request for a new type of Soul Candy. We'll put it on shelves by the end of the week."

"As a trial period, Captain?"

"Call it what you want. I just want to try it out. After all," Mayuri said with a smile, "I just got an interesting idea."

The other lab techs shuddered, knowing that Mayuri had some frightening ideas.

This one, not so much. It was more of a more diplomatic form of saying 'screw you' to the Head Captain and other Soul Reapers involved. After all, he did carry out the order. But that didn't mean he couldn't try something similar to what they had scrapped before. It wouldn't be the same so he couldn't get in trouble, but he knew it would get a rise out of some of them.

At least, those familiar with the name. None of the others ever got a name.

"Let's begin."

The lab techs began to make standard Soul Candy while Mayuri oversaw their work. He gave them specific instructions as to what the personality would be like. Since they were all artificial, usually the Soul Candies were flawed in some way, comically so. It was hard to develop one whose personality didn't go to extremes.

Mayuri also tended to be an all-or-nothing type of guy anyway. Go big or go home.

As the new Soul Candy was reaching its final stage of development into pill form, one of the lab techs decided to ask Mayuri a question.

"What should we call the Soul Candy, Captain?"

"Should we put it to a vote?"

"Since they put in the request, I bet the women will want to name it."

"Oh, no! That's a terrible idea."

"No need," said Mayuri. "I already have the name in mind so there will be no need for a vote or risking the women ruining it with a demeaning name."

"So what is the name for the new Soul Candy, Captain?" asked Akon.

Mayuri grinned. "Kenji. The smiling Soul Candy."

* * *

The end!

Kenji will live on in some form!

Thank you all for reading. Please review! ^-^


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